Feathers of a Raven
by vixensheart
Summary: Stories of a girl named Raven, fragmented like the colors on a raven's feather.
1. The Orchestra

She wasn't sure how it happened.

It started with a pair of tickets. She won them from some dumb raffle at one of the charity events they always went to. It was a pair of tickets to the Jump City Orchestra at the local Theatre Arts Centre, where they were playing tons of classical music from greats like Bach and Beethoven.

Raven never liked to admit it, but she did enjoy classical music, it was soothing and allowed her to feel without blowing things up. So of course the sorceress wanted to go.

Going of course, wasn't the problem. Finding someone to go _with_ was. She didn't have many friends of course; her four teammates being pretty much her only options. Sure, she could have asked another Titan, but she wasn't as close with any of the others, and asking would be weird.

So, her options were limited from the beginning.

First she tried Starfire, who though intrigued, had a very big date with Robin planned for that night and declined. That unfortunately knocked out her second option, so she went to Cyborg. Cyborg of course, pretended to be interested but attempted to talk himself out of it.

"Sorry Rae, but uh, I've gotta work on the T-car it's makin' some weird noises from our last mission and I can't have my baby makin' noises like that. It uh, sounds fun but I think I'll pass."

"What sounds fun?"

Raven cringed. She turned to see Beast Boy looking at her and Cyborg with an expression of curiosity.

"I have tickets to see the Orchestra," she deadpanned, fully expecting the changeling to laugh at her or make some crude joke about how lame the orchestra was. Instead, she got a smile.

"That sounds cool. I can go with ya' Rae."

Raven blinked. This was not what she had expected Beast Boy to say. Regardless, she found herself accepting his offer to go and promptly told him to be ready on five o'clock the next Friday.

Thus that very Friday Raven found herself in the T-car's passenger seat alone with Beast Boy. It was an odd occurrence, the two of them had a rather…interesting friendship. Although Raven cared greatly for the shapeshifter, she often wanted to throttle his neck and as a result the two hardly ever hung out alone.

And yet here they were, dressed to impress and alone. Together. On their way to see the Jump City Orchestra.

It wasn't as if this was a date. The thought was absurd, dating Beast Boy. She could hardly stand the changeling half the time, how could she date him? Yet sitting there in the car, she found herself enjoying his company as he rambled on about various musical instruments he'd seen in his lifetime.

Coming from Africa, he'd apparently seen quite a few unique instruments, and Raven watched as his eyes lit up as he chattered about the different ways each looked and the different sounds each made.

She had to admit, she was having fun.

They made it to the Theatre, letting a valet park the car before heading inside. Beast Boy looped her arm without a second thought, dragging her through the entrance and into the actual theater.

Raven found herself blushing and didn't know why.

* * *

It was glorious. Raven felt alive in ways she rarely ever felt. The music was beautiful and spoke to the deepest corners of her soul. She leaned forward in her seat, barely aware of Beast Boy's presence beside her.

When the final note rang through the auditorium, she was disappointed. She knew it had to end eventually, but Raven couldn't help but wish she could listen to the orchestra forever.

"That was really good," Beast Boy mused beside her. Raven blinked, having almost forgot she had brought him.

"Yeah, it was," she murmured softly. Beast Boy grabbed her arm lightly.

"Well come on, let's get some food. I bet you're hungry, 'cuz I'm starving," he mused with a chuckle. She stood with a sigh. Raven was reluctant to leave, despite her stomach's protests. She allowed Beast Boy to lead her away though, his voice quietly chattering about a nice restaurant nearby.

It was a nice restaurant, quiet and almost romantic. The key word being almost.

The place had a rather fancy menu, complete with vegetarian dishes for Beast Boy. This amused Raven, she should have realized he'd pick a veggie friendly venue. The time passed reasonably, with Beast Boy attempting to joke and Raven rolling her eyes. Despite his lame jokes, Raven found she was still having fun, be it the high from the orchestra or the constant feel-good vibes from Beast Boys emotions. Regardless, the empath managed to delight the shifter with a few smiles and crack a few deadpan jokes herself.

The amicable atmosphere between them continued in the car and back to the tower. She felt _good_ as she kicked off her heels in the ops room.

Her gaze flitted to Beast Boy, who had with suit jacket off and his purple bowtie undone. Another blush spread across her face as she took in his appearance.

She would never say it aloud, but Beast Boy looked good. _Very_ good.

"Thanks for coming tonight," she said awkwardly. Beast Boy smiled.

"Hey no problem, it was fun!" He paused, glancing at his feet. "You know, Deadpool comes out next week."

Raven blinked, confused. "Okay?"

He looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "Wanna come?"

She blinked again. He wanted her to come see a movie?

"Sure."

She was just as surprised as Beast Boy. Why'd she agree? Beast Boy tended to have poor taste in movies, she'd probably hate it. But before she could change her mind, Beast Boy grinned.

"Great! Uh, I'll let you know what time."

And then Raven was alone to contemplate what just occurred.

 _Did really that just happen?_

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **This is just a series of one-shots. Some may be related.**

 **Thanks for the reads and reviews!**

 **-vixensheart**


	2. The Teapot

"Hand me the wrench?"

Her fingers wrapped around the cool metal. She hefted in in her palm, handing the tool into the outstretched hand of Cyborg.

"Thanks Rae," he said absently.

The garage was quiet, filled only with the sounds of Cyborg tinkering beneath the T-Car. It was a soothing atmosphere, one in which she and Cyborg could enjoy each other's company without the need for conversation.

It was peaceful.

Raven sighed, drawing her cloak around her. The peace and quiet was nice, especially after her rather… _annoying_ morning.

She had gotten up and meditated as usual. It was a _nice_ meditation during a _nice_ morning to prepare for a _nice_ day. She had been most looking forward to her _nice_ cup of tea to complete her _nice_ morning.

Unluckily for her, it did not quite go that way.

She had entered the ops room only to discover a rather nervous Beast Boy holding the broken handle of her smashed teapot. Her teapot, which had been a handmade relic from Azarath.

That Beast Boy had destroyed.

Needless to say, she had chucked him unceremoniously into the bay after shouting quite a few explicatives in a variety of languages.

So yes, her morning had been _quite_ annoying.

After another dose of meditation, she had retreated here in the garage. Here at least, Beast Boy would not come to annoy her. Not while Cyborg was tinkering with his beloved car. It was, ironically, her only place of solace. While the bothersome changeling was unafraid of invading her room, he would not risk Cyborg wringing his neck by coming too close to the T-car.

This made little sense to Raven. She was a demoness who could flatten the earth with the snap of her fingers, and Beast Boy barely blinked. Cyborg was a half human half robot who was his best friend, and Beast Boy cowered in terror when he upset him.

She wasn't sure if Beast Boy was just stupid, or clueless. She liked to think he was both.

The toolbox beside her made a rather alarming noise as black energy crushed it.

Oops.

"You know he didn't mean to do it right?"

Raven's gaze shifted to Cyborg, who had rolled himself out from beneath the car.

"What?" she asked.

"BB. He didn't mean to break the teapot."

Raven looked away in a huff. "It doesn't matter," she snapped. "It was mine and he broke it. He shouldn't have been touching it anyway!"

She could feel Cyborg's gentle gaze on her.

"Y'know, he was just trying to make your tea for you."

This was news to the empath. She had just figured he was trying to use her precious teapot in one of his lame, poorly executed pranks. She hadn't really considered other options.

"So?" she asked, her voice still thick with anger. Cyborg chuckled.

"So, I'm not saying you can't be upset. Just, go a little easy on the guy. He _likes_ you."

Her eyebrows raised at the odd emphasis of the word 'likes', but nevertheless her friend had a bit of a point. Beast Boy was kind, to the point of being annoying. It wasn't unlike him to try to make her tea.

Though she'd rather he left her stuff alone.

She grunted grumpily as Cyborg went back to his tinkering. _Maybe_ she'd think about forgiving Beast Boy.

 _Maybe._

* * *

Raven's nose was buried in a book. It was a good book, considered a classic by all literature enthusiasts. She had quite a few of those on her shelves, among the variety of spellbooks and nonfiction.

She was just reaching an exciting turning point in the story when a shape thrust itself in her face, interrupting her. It was a clay teapot, with golden Chinese dragons dancing on the sides. It appeared to be handmade, though brilliantly so, and Raven marvelled at the gold paint that reflected in the light.

"Here," a voice said. Raven tore her gaze away from the pot and looked up to see an anxious Beast Boy gazing back at her.

"I-I...it's for you," he stammered.

She eyed it cautiously. "What you think buying a fake handmade pot from the store makes up for breaking my relic?" she snapped. Beast Boy visibly flinched, but he stayed put.

"N-no but-"

"Just leave," Raven said, pushing the pot away. She knew it was a bit harsh, after all it was a week since the incident, but she wanted him to understand that breaking her stuff wasn't okay. In fact, touching her stuff wasn't okay. She just wanted Beast Boy to get the idea, and leave her things be.

However, the changeling didn't leave. Instead he stood there, holding the teapot in his hands as he stared at her. Raven sighed.

"What Beast Boy?"

His emerald gaze met her amethyst one before dropping down to the teapot.

"I made it," he murmured softly.

This caught Raven off-guard. Beast Boy did not seem much like an artistic person, so she felt the need to reaffirm what she heard.

"Come again?"

"I made it," he said, a little louder this time. He met her gaze again and gave an embarrassed smile. "I know that your old pot was special, and since I couldn't glue it I figured I'd make you a new one. I guess it's not that good but-"

"Thank you."

Beast Boy blinked in surprise, causing Raven to flush slightly.

"It's very nice," she murmured softly, making him grin. He left it on the coffee table and scurried off, leaving Raven to watch him go.

Raven glanced back at the teapot, a smile breaking across her face.

Maybe Beast Boy isn't as annoying as she thought.

Maybe.


	3. Kissing in the Rain

It was raining.

Raven shivered under her sodden cloak, desperately trying to keep warm. Why she was out in this weather was beyond her, Robin had it in his thick skull that they just _had_ to patrol that night, and Cyborg just _had_ to conveniently take the T-car and _leave_ her to walk home alone in the rain.

Just wonderful.

She would consider teleporting, but they'd done some pretty hardcore training earlier and Raven wasn't sure she had the energy to safely transport herself across the city.

So she walked. In the rain. Did she mention it was cold?

Raven was definitely going to kill Cyborg when she got back.

The splish splash of her boots among the puddles was the solitary sound amid the drenched street of Jump City, the people electing to stay indoors like most sane people would do in a rainstorm like this one. Raven was quite envious of the citizens of Jump, all tucked up in their warm little homes while she tramped out and about in the downpour, searching for non-existent crime.

Maybe she'd kill Robin too.

"Hey Rae, lovely weather we're having!" a cheery voice quipped. Raven spun around, her startled gaze landing on an equally sopping wet Beast Boy. He had a very cheeky grin on his face as he spoke, his forest green hair dripping in his face.

"Indeed," she deadpanned, sarcasm lacing her voice like venom. It didn't deter the changeling though, and his water laden shoes squelched as he approached.

"What're you doing here anyway?" she asked. Beast Boy shrugged, that damn grin still on his face. It was a cute smile, but like hell she'd ever say that aloud.

"Looking for you. Robin was wondering why you weren't back yet and why you weren't answering your communicator."

Raven arched an eyebrow and took out the small device, allowing Beast Boy to see the water drip out of its crack and crevices as she shook it.

"Ah, I see," he said with a grin. Raven just huffed in response, beginning their trek home once again. Beast Boy matched her pace, falling into a comfortable silence. The sorceress sneaked peeks at her green teammate every so often, trying very hard to be discreet. It was quite difficult, as she seemed to be unable to keep her gaze off of him.

It's not that she had a crush on him. That idea was quite preposterous. She just...admired his physical features. Often. While he wasn't looking. She totally never imagined what it would be like to kiss him. That would be insane.

Raven didn't so much as blink when a few street lights popped suddenly, leaving half the street dark.

"Um Rae, everything okay there?" Beast Boy asked, his gaze darting nervously up at the busted street lamps.

"Everything's fine," she responded stoically. It took all the control in the world to not blow something else up when she saw Beast Boy bite his lip nervously. She tried so hard to not think about how cute his expression was. She really did.

"Okay if ya' say so Rae Rae."

Raven kept her gaze resolutely off of the changeling, focusing instead on the road ahead. The chill of the driving rain forced another shiver out of her, and she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Hey are you cold?" Beast Boy's concerned gaze washed over her, and Raven found herself mesmerized by his lovely emerald irises. How could they be such a pretty shade of green? Her head bobbed numbly in response, her brain not really processing the question. She hardly noticed when Beast Boy shrugged his own jacket off, draping it delicately over her drenched cloak.

"Oh. Thanks."

"Of course Rae," he chirped. He moved to pull away, but Raven placed her hand on his arm, stopping him.

She wanted to blame the cold. Claim it got to her brain, screwed up her thought processing. She wanted to say that she wasn't thinking straight, it wasn't right, didn't mean anything.

But that would be a lie.

Either way, she found her lips on his.

Beast Boy stiffened in surprise, his emotions a whirling train-wreck. Raven pushed them away, opting to deepen the kiss. His lips tasted like cool rainwater, and she revelled in the smooth feel of them against her own.

Perhaps she'd regret this later. But in that moment, Raven had never felt more alive. She released Beast Boy and met his baffled gaze. Raven only grinned shyly back before turning to walk away.

A hand grabbed her arm and Raven found herself facing Beast Boy again.

And then he kissed her.


	4. Wedding Dress Mania

Raven hated shopping.

It was a pointless endeavor, were one would flit from store to store, searching for clothing that would only be worn once, maybe twice. Raven had all of the clothes she ever needed, and saw no good from shopping 'til she dropped.

That is, of course, unless Starfire begged.

She may have been an interdimensional demoness with the capability of ending the world simply by existing, but Raven could not refuse Starfire's puppy dog eyes.

Which was why she was currently being dragged into the largest store Raven had ever laid eyes on.

They were not in their usual 'mall of shopping' as Starfire had so eloquently named it. This time around, Starfire was in search of something very special, so much so that she'd convinced Robin to let the two of them have a weekend off to travel to New York City, just to go to this one place.

Then again, Raven should have figured this would happen.

Just over a month ago, Boy Wonder had _finally_ gathered the courage to pop the question, and Starfire had been a floating ball of joy ever since. The Tamaranian had poured the internet for wedding ideas, and was already filling a binder of said ideas. The wedding had yet to have an official date, but Starfire and Robin seemed to agree on a date a year from then.

That being said, Raven had hoped Starfire would wait to go on a shopping spree. Unfortunately for the sorceress, it seemed that dresses had to be bought well in advance, and she found herself cursing the designers for creating such a system as Starfire dragged her into the ever well known Kleinfeld.

"Oh friend Raven! Look at all the wonderful dresses!" Starfire squealed. Raven on the otherhand, very much wanted to phase into the floor. The boutique was blindingly white, a wide array of fluffy, tulle covered dresses littering the floor and decking out the walls. It was hell on earth for Raven, figuratively speaking.

"Yeah. Wonderful."

With yet another exuberant squeal, Starfire dragged Raven over to the waiting area where they waited for their consultant. Of course being famous, it was only a matter of time before the camera crews caught wind that they were there, and the next thing Raven knew she was being fitted with a mic and watching the TLC crew whisk Starfire away to interview her briefly before the appointment.

Not only was Raven being forced into dress shopping, now she was being filmed for television. Yay.

The next few hours went by in a blur.

Starfire tried on many, many dresses. So many so that Raven lost count. Every dress began to blend together for the empath, and she felt her irritation level rising dramatically. Even Beast Boy couldn't bring out that level of anger and annoyance.

Or at least, he hadn't done that in a long time.

She almost felt bad for the TV crew. Almost. They too were subjected to Starfire's dress frenzy, stuck following the alien princess around with their heavy cameras filming every minute detail she could provide for them. It couldn't have been very fun.

Then again, neither was having said cameras shoved into her face.

The problem with the appointment wasn't necessarily that Starfire was indecisive. Rather, she genuinely loved _everything._

Raven thought she was going to explode.

"Oh, how am I ever going to choose!" Starfire wailed. The Tamaranian flopped down beside Raven, hiding her face in her hands. Stress rolled off of her, making Raven wince. Sometimes being an empath sucked. This happened to be one of those times.

She felt bad for her friend, but what could Raven do? This was Starfire's choice, and Raven couldn't very well make it for her. She's already said her piece on each garment, there wasn't much more she could do.

Right?

"I'm sure you'll find something Star. Maybe you just...need to walk away for awhile. I mean, you've tried on over twenty already."

Starfire cast a miserably hopeful glance at her.

"Do you think so?" she asked. Raven forced a small smile.

"I know so. Come on, let's go get some food. I heard there's a great pizza place down the street."

The two girls handed in their mics and paid for the appointment, before heading out into the chaos of New York City.

They spend the remainder of the day doing anything but wedding stuff; sightseeing in the Big Apple, walking through Central Park, taking cheesy pictures with the sketchy mascot people in Time Square, and yes, more shopping. It was all for the best though, Starfire had a blast and Raven was simply happy to bask in her best friend's joy.

She hated shopping. But Raven did love Starfire, and if it meant spending a day of torture to see her best friend and sister happy, then she was more than willing to make the sacrifice.

Even if she pretended not to be.


	5. Fangs

"He bit you?"

Cyborg's shout startled Raven. She cast a sleepy glance over to the Cybernetic teen.

"What?"

Her friend ignored her question, opting to instead stride over to her and inspect her neck.

"I can't believe he bit you!"

Raven blinked. What on earth was he talking about? She put her hand on Cyborg's face and pushed it away.

"Again, what?"

"BB fucking bit you! Why when I get my hands on him..."

Raven conjured her black energy, freezing Cyborg in place.

"First, you will _not_ put your hands on my boyfriend. Second, why exactly do you think he bit me?"

Cyborg growled like a bear and pointed to her neck.

"The teeth marks on your neck!"

Raven put a hand to her neck, blushing furiously in realization.

Oh. That.

She turned away, crossing her arms across her chest defensively.

"I believe that is called a _lovebite_ Cyborg," she drawled. Cyborg blinked, trying to process what she said.

"Lovebite? As in a hickey?"

Raven sighed, nodding harshly. She tried very hard not to show her deepening blush, focusing her gaze on her teapot that sat on the stove top. It was a handmade teapot, one Beast Boy had made for her when he'd broken her previous one. Although she'd been unwilling to admit it for the longest time, she loved the damn thing. Even more so now that she started dating its creator.

"That's a hickey?" Cyborg exclaimed, his confusion cutting into Raven like a knife. She raised her eyebrows and nodded briskly.

"Yes Cyborg, it is. Any more idiotic questions?"

Cyborg leaned forward, his feet still glued to the ground by her magic. "Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice full of awe and curiosity. Raven shrugged. Her cheeks burned bright red, and she shook her head to distract Cyborg from said flush.

"Not really."

"How come it's so...toothy looking?"

Raven snorted. "He has fangs, remember?"

The cybernetic teen nodded blankly, still gazing at her hickey.

"Oh."

Raven sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Is that all? I'd like to drink my tea in peace."

"You sure it doesn't hurt?"

"Very."

Cyborg threw his hands in the air. "Alright, alright I give. Lemme go so I can eat."

Raven released her annoyance of a friend, snatching her teapot and pouring a mug-full. She was aware of the tired aura of Robin entering the room, but ignored the Boy Wonder as she moved around Cyborg towards the couch.

"Wait a minute, is that a bite mark?"

Raven resisted the urge to smack her forehead.

This was going to be a long day.


	6. Did That Just Happen?

Beast Boy was acting strange.

Not that it was an unusual thing. Raven found a lot of things Beast Boy did strange, like how he ate tofu of all things. Or how he sometimes walked in a circle before sitting down, like a cat. Or even how he always found stupid jokes to say.

But the level of strange coming from Beast Boy as of late was much higher.

He followed her more.

It was as if he needed to be near her or something. Everywhere she went, he was only an arm's length away, grinning his cheeky grin. Now, Raven was used to Beast Boy's presence by now, after all they'd lived in the same building for three years now, but he was acting much clingier than usual.

Which was odd.

He was also trying to talk to her more than usual. Raven knew Beast Boy had his ridiculous mission to get her to smile, but his jokes were just terrible lately. It probably didn't help that the boy became a stuttering blushing mess half the time. She wasn't sure why that happened, he never had that problem in the past. Raven wasn't really sure how to handle this mess of a Beast Boy, it was beyond her experience.

His emotions were also going haywire. She often picked up on embarrassment and fear from him when he's around her, if anything at all. This was unsettling in more ways than one; why was Beast Boy afraid of her, and what emotions was he hiding?

She knew he was hiding some of them, she'd get small insights of feelings before they vanished.

It was strange.

She didn't bother asking him about it, after all they were good enough friends that she knew he'd talk to her when he wanted to. Plus, Raven hated invading people's privacy. Privacy was sacred to her, and she'd only encroach on someone else's if it was absolutely necessary.

And so she waited. Day in and day out, silently watching her green friend and getting more and more confused by his actions.

What was wrong with him?

Everyone else seemed to know.

Whenever Beast Boy fumbled with his words or flushed at one of her sarcastic remarks, the others all shared a knowing glance, sometimes giggling softly at whatever knowledge they had.

It was infuriating at best, but again, Raven ignored it. Why worry? It was none of her business until Beast Boy made it her business, and that was that.

And make it her business he did.

It was one uneventful morning when it happened. Raven was waiting for her tea to boil, contentedly staring blankly into space. She was aware of Robin at the counter and Cyborg beside her, cooking bacon and the like. Starfire had floated in only moments before, grabbing Silkie's food and drifting off to find the little worm.

It was the average morning, normal. Just like every other morning.

As per usual, she sensed Beast Boy entering the room. The difference was that he was much more alert than usual, and marched into the room with a solid determination like he got when he'd set his mind on something. Raven didn't even bother turning to greet him. She hadn't had her tea yet and wasn't feeling particularly friendly. Besides, he probably was determined to win his stupid argument with Cyborg anyway.

Nothing too unusual in Raven's mind.

It happened rather suddenly, one moment she was staring at her teakettle, and the next a warm hand was on her shoulder and spinning her around. Her gaze met Beast Boy's, and his hands found her waist and dragged her close to him. His lips met hers before she could think to protest, and Raven's eyes fluttered closed.

As quickly as it happened, it was over. Beast Boy released her from his hold and stepped back, his breath hitching. She gaped at him, a hand coming up to her lips.

"W-wh...y-you..." her voice trailed off, and her thoughts where as scattered as leaves in the wind. Alarm painted itself on Beast Boy's face, and before Raven could speak again he was gone, the patter of pawsteps fading from the ops room.

"Did that just happen?" Cyborg dared to ask, breaking the silence. Raven didn't answer, instead the empath brushed her lips, a flush working its way onto her cheeks. The tea forgotten, Raven phased into the floor, leaving a stunned Robin and Cyborg behind.

* * *

She was at Beast Boy's door.

He was inside, she could feel his presence. Raven was sure he knew she was there too, but unless she knocked she doubted he'd open up. Which was why she wanted to knock, but couldn't seem to bring herself too.

She still wasn't sure what had happened. Did he really kiss her? It felt like a forgotten dream, one she never knew she wanted. And even now, here at his door, she wasn't sure what she was doing.

Even though Trigon was defeated, emotions were still taboo for her. Sure, she could no longer endanger the world by alerting her father of her presence through her emotions, but she could still blow stuff up on accident. Though she'd opened up more, her powers were still dangerous, and as a result so were her emotions.

So this situation was definitely not something she'd foreseen coming.

Her powers made relationships difficult, and after Malchoir she never expected to have one. So all romantic feelings got pushed to the side or buried. After all, who'd want to date her?

Beast Boy apparently. He'd kissed her after all. But did she want to date him?

A flush once again spread across her cheeks. _Maybe,_ a thought whispered. Maybe she did. Regardless, she knocked on his door.

It opened, revealing a nervous and slightly embarrassed Beast Boy.

"Oh uh, hey Rae," he said, his voice shaking. Raven said nothing, giving in to the impulsive side the changeling seemed to bring out in her. She grabbed fist-fulls of his shirt and yanked him close, planting her lips onto his.

Beast Boy yelped in surprise, melting into the kiss.

She did know one thing.

She definitely liked kissing Beast Boy.


	7. Drunken Dubauchery

Raven was not a party person.

Having spent most of her life suppressing her emotions in fear of ending the world, she never had much time for a social life.

Not that she'd really ever wanted one. Raven was pretty reclusive after all, content to relax quietly with her closest friends. Besides, as an empath being in places with large amounts of people tended to suck. Lots of people meant lots of emotions, and it took quite a bit of effort to tune them all out to the point where Raven could remain sane.

Regardless of her social status or lack thereof, She still managed to find herself waking up to one of the worst hangovers ever on the day succeeding St. Patrick's day.

Raven blinked blearily, letting out a strangled groan. Her head pounded terribly, her mouth was as dry as the Sahara Desert, and her whole body ached like she'd run a worldwide marathon twice in the same day.

She hated drinking. She especially hated having friends who could convince her to do such a terrible thing.

Stupid friends.

Raven attempted to roll over and hide under her covers, determined to sleep the day away, only to find that something large and warm held her in place.

Something very large, warm, and _green_.

Her eyes widened, all thoughts of her hangover dropping from her mind.

There, lying on her rather bare chest, was a snoring Beast Boy.

 _Fuck. Fuck, fuck, **fuck!**_

She laid there, very unsure of what to do.

On one hand, she could teleport him to his room and pretend this had never happened. But as much as Raven was tempted to do that very thing, she knew it was wrong. She herself had pretty much no memories of what had actually happened, there was no telling if Beast Boy remembered or not. If he didn't and she went with that route, it would be very, very wrong.

The only other alternative was to wake him up. And discuss the fact that she was naked and he was probably just as naked as she. And of course what that would imply about their activities the night before.

The thoughts brought a deep blush to Raven's cheeks.

This sucked.

"Beast Boy. Beast Boy, wake up!"

The boy in question groaned, burying his face further into his 'pillow'. Raven flushed even darker, if that was possible, and continued to shake him gently.

"Beast Boy!" she hissed. "Wake up!"

He seemed pretty determined to stay asleep, much to Raven's annoyance. She shook him a little harder, raising her voice.

"Garfield!"

At last, he lifted his head with a groan.

"Go 'way," he croaked. And then proceeded to bury himself into her covers.

"Garfield Logan, _wake up_!" Raven hissed, tugging the blankets away from the changeling.

"Hmm Raven? What are you doing in my room? And god, why does my head hurt?"

She huffed in annoyance. "First of all, you're in _my_ room. Second, we both drank. A lot. And now we have a bit of a...predicament."

Beast Boy sat up slowly, a hand pressed up to his temples, which Raven presumed were throbbing nearly as badly as hers.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"We're naked."

His eyes were saucers as he absorbed Raven's blunt statement. Raven's still burning cheeks burned harder as his gaze dropped from her face to her chest, which she'd covered with the blanket, and then down to his lap, which was also thankfully still under the blankets.

"Shit," he said. Shit indeed.

Beast Boy groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Shit Rae, I'm sorry. I-I'll just go now, I'm sorry."

He moved to leave the bed, and Raven surprised herself by catching his arm.

"Wait."

He stopped. They gawked at each other for a moment before Raven cleared her throat. "I-it's not your fault," she murmured. Beast Boy still looked pretty distraught.

"Still, I should have known better, I shouldn't have-"

"Stop."

He looked at her. Raven sighed, clutching the blanket at her chest. "We were _both_ drunk. Right?"

Beast Boy flushed, nodding. "Yeah. I uh, don't really remember much."

"Me either."

They once again lapsed into silence. Raven diverted her gaze from the shape shifter, willing the blush on her face to go away. Beast Boy wasn't faring much better, she could feel the embarrassment and turmoil flying off of him.

"So now what?" he asked. Raven shrugged.

"I guess we...get ready for the day."

"Okay."

They still sat on her bed, unsure of how exactly they were going do proceed. Raven sighed.

"Okay um, I'll close my eyes and um...you just, get your stuff and go."

Beast Boy bobbed his head in agreement. "Okay."

Raven then proceeded to squeeze her eyes tightly shut. She heard the blankets rustle and Beast Boy's light footsteps as she padded about the room. There was more rustling, as he presumably picked up his clothing, and Raven then had the misfortune of remembering that he was buck naked and walking about her room. She cursed mentally as her cheeks burned even harder, and tried her hardest to quell the dirty thoughts that were beginning to crowd her mind.

"So um, Rae...I'll just um, go now. Bye!"

There was a swish as her door slid open and she could hear Beast Boy's receding footsteps. Still, Raven kept her eyes firmly shut until she heard her door safely slid shut. She sighed as her eyes peeled open, and untangled herself from her sheets. She tried very, very hard to not think about Beast Boy's bare skin pressed up against her own.

Unfortunately, it was a battle she was losing.

* * *

The rest of the day was awkward, to say the least.

Raven and Beast Boy avoided each other like the plague, and when they did interact, as is inevitable when two people live and work together in the same building, those interactions were stiffly polite and filled with stuttering and blushing. Raven knew everyone sensed something odd going on between them, she could feel her teammates curiosity and apprehension every time she and Beast Boy interacted.

It was only a matter of time before one of them asked. That, or a matter of time before she cracked and sought someone out to talk about it.

Which was probably why hours later Raven found herself staring hatefully at Starfire's door. She'd been too scared to feel for Starfire's aura, and as a result had knocked numerous times only to receive no answer.

Her friend wasn't there. And now Raven glared at the door, wishing to Azar that things weren't so damn awkward.

"You alright there Raven?"

The empath in question turned to see Robin leaning against the wall watching her curiously. She huffed and jerked her gaze back to the door.

"I'm fine."

"Looking for Starfire?" he asked. Raven grunted in annoyance.

"I _was_ thank you. I had wished to speak to her about...something...but she clearly isn't here now."

Robin chuckled, amused. "Does that _something_ involve Beast Boy?"

Raven only glared at him in response, very tempted to throw the Boy Wonder into another dimension. Oh so tempting it was. But Starfire wouldn't appreciate that, so she didn't. Instead she glared.

"You know, if you like him you should just ask him out."

She blinked.

What?

Robin chuckled at her blank expression, presumably believing to have caught her. Or something.

"I'm pretty sure he'd say yes," he said. Robin didn't wait for a response, instead Boy Wonder turned and vanished down the hallway, leaving a stunned and confused Raven behind.

She didn't like Beast Boy, did she?

Her thoughts once again returned to that morning and the feeling of Beast Boy's body against hers. Her face flushed darkly, and a light bulb busted overhead.

No, that was ridiculous. She couldn't like Beast Boy.

And yet hazy visions of their drunken debauchery plagued her for the remainder of the day.

* * *

Raven couldn't stand it anymore.

She couldn't get Beast Boy out of her head.

Every since that _stupid_ night, he was all she could think about.

At first, her thoughts were mostly about his _physical_ features. In particularly, how much she wanted to rake her hands all over said features. This resulted in her constantly fighting to hide her flushed cheeks beneath the safety of her hood.

She figured that was natural. After all, she was curious about their night spent together and wanted to know more. About the night, about him. She believed given a week or so, it would fade and she'd forget or lose interest.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Not only was Raven now fantasizing about Beast Boy's body, she also found herself drawn to him. No matter what he was doing, she had the annoying desire to be near him. She started to actually _listen_ to his dumb jokes, she actually _watched_ him play those brain rotting video games, and she participated in movie night just so she could sit next to him and feel their arms brush together.

It was sickening.

Beast Boy wasn't making it any easier either. Oh no, the idiot had the audacity to be incredibly nice to her. And not just in the usual sense either, he'd actually tried to annoy her less by not arguing with everyone about meat, and not interrupting her meditations, and trying to be quiet while playing video games. He still talked to her and joked with her too, seemingly unaware of his new affect on her.

It was infuriating.

Which was why Raven was currently pacing on the rooftop cursing everything from Azar to all the earthy deities. Why Beast Boy of all people? Why now, after that stupid night? These were the questions that plagues her mind.

Raven was only vaguely aware of the door creaking open, so enamored she was with her cursing. Light footsteps padded across the rooftop and came to a halt beside her, and the addictive aura of Beast Boy enveloped her emphatic senses.

"You uh, okay? You're wearing a hole in the roof."

She shot him a withering glance. "Ha ha."

"You totally think I'm funny," he teased. She rolled her eyes, though secretly agreed.

"Seriously though Rae, what's up? You've been acting weird since...you know."

She bit her lip, suddenly very interested in the white washed concrete beneath their feet.

"Did...did I do something?"

His voice was small, like a child. She jerked her gaze back up to him, and with a deep breath she took the plunge.

"Yes, you did. You won't get out of my head!"

Beast Boy open his mouth, confusion knitting across his features. She didn't let him speak though, her own words tumbling out before she could really think of what she was saying.

"Ever since that stupid night all I can think about is you! Your touch, your smile, your stupid jokes! Ugh, I just wanna kiss you and I hate it!"

She reached out and punched his shoulders as she spoke, much to his utter confusion.

"Oh."

He gently snatched her wrists in his hands, drawing them up to his chest. He peered down into her face, his emerald eyes shining inquisitively. Raven's breath hitched as their gazes met. She felt lost in that moment, drowning in a world of emeralds.

And then his lips were on her own and she was gone, soaring among the clouds. She kissed back, hard. It was as though she never realized how much she wanted this until it was happening, and now Raven wanted nothing more than to be as close to this boy, this man, as she could.

They broke apart then, their foreheads resting against each other. Beast Boy brushed his hand across her cheek, making her shiver.

"I can't seem to get you out of my head either," he whispered. A smile spread across her lips, and she kissed him again.


	8. The Stupidity of Beast Boy

Beast Boy wasn't stupid.

It was a huge misconception among pretty much everyone, one that royally pissed Raven off. Sure, she'd thought so at first too, but it had been terrible misjudgement on her and the rest of the team's part.

Beast Boy wasn't stupid, rather he was just impulsive. He tended to do and say things without really thinking. That's what usually landed him, and sometimes everyone else, in hot water. His impulsive nature was what fooled Raven into thinking of him as just a dumb kid, only to realize how wrong she'd been.

The first time Raven saw some of Beast Boy's intelligence was during a mission.

They'd been chasing Mad Mod. He'd robbed a bank and was generally terrorizing the city with his shenanigans, so the Titans of course responded to the call and were hot on his trail to capture and turn him in.

He'd run into this fancy restaurant, much to Raven and the team's aggravation. They'd been chasing him for hours, due to his illusionist abilities, and to make maters worse, he'd somehow managed to lure the _whole team_ into one of those walk in freezers. And locked them inside.

"Damn it!" Robin yelled as his grapple hook clattered uselessly to the floor once again. The freezer was below freezing, for obvious reasons, and everyone was shivering like wild. Robin had seen a vent up near the ceiling and had tried to shoot the hook at it, but the area was too smooth and it couldn't get a grip.

Raven was about to simply phase through the floor when Cyborg came up with an idea.

"Yo' Beast Boy, can't you shape shift into a snake or something and crawl up the wall?"

At this, the changeling snorted. "Sure dude, if you want me to freeze and die!" His arms shot dramatically in the air, and Raven found herself rolling her eyes.

"You're being dramatic," she deadpanned. Beast Boy whirled to her and nearly growled.

"Uh, no I'm not. Snakes are exothermic. Aka cold-blooded. _That_ means that they don't regulate their internal temperature themselves, and rely on the temperature of the environment to keep warm! So yeah, if I turn into a snake I'll get hypothermia and die!"

Raven was shocked. She of course knew what exothermic meant, but the fact that Beast Boy of all people did was surprising. So much so that she found herself gaping at the boy for a solid minute before coming to her senses. She forced a glare onto her face and crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'm tired of this," she snapped and promptly phased through the floor.

That wasn't the only time he'd shown such intelligence either.

Once, he'd found a pregnant cat out in the park. The poor thing was rather dreadful looking, having lived on the streets for some time, and Beast Boy had somehow managed to convince Robin to let him keep her until she had the kittens and they were all strong enough to be given away.

He'd made a box with blankets in the ops room for her and basically took care of the poor thing. Beast Boy had even named her Maude.

Raven occasionally fed the cat, after all she _did_ like cats and she _did_ feel rather sorry for the queen-to-be.

One morning after a lovely meditation session on the roof, Raven walked into the ops room to see Beast Boy and Starfire crouched by Maude's box. The changeling was speaking animatedly, and Raven quietly crept closer to see what the commotion was about.

"...to seven kittens. They usually carry them for about three months or so. Maude here's obviously full term since she's giving birth. See the stuff their covered in? That's what keeps them nice and healthy while they're inside their momma. Maude just licks them clean to dry them off and make sure their breathing. She's doing pretty good too!"

Starfire made a fascinated "ooh" as he spoke, looking down at the box with wide eyes. Raven too peered into the box to see a proud Maude licking clean kitten number four. She was surprised by Beast Boy's knowledge of cat pregnancy, especially sine she was fairly certain he'd never had pets before.

"She about done now?" Raven asked. Both heads turned to her in surprise, but Beast Boy shot her a lopsided grin and shrugged.

"It seems like it but I dunno. It can be hard to tell sometimes."

It didn't end there either. The more Raven got to know the shapeshifter, the more his wealth of knowledge about animals became apparent. Raven remembered a time when she walked into the kitchen late one night to make some tea, only to find Beast Boy sitting on the floor enraptured by the television. She would have made a sarcastic remark about his brain rotting, but then her gaze focused on the screen and rather than those dumb cartoons he often watched, there was a nature documentary playing.

"I didn't know you liked that stuff," she said. Beast Boy whirled around and yelped, clearly not expecting her to be there.

"Jeeze Rae, don't scare me like that," he gasped. She simply rolled her eyes and dropped onto one of the cushions beside him. The documentary seemed specifically about African wildlife, with a particular focus on the big predators.

"Did you know that when a new male lion takes over a pride, he kills the previous male's cubs?"

Raven blinked. "No, I did not. Why would they do that?"

Beast Boy shrugged, his gaze on the television. "Well in nature, everything's about reproducing and passing on your genes. If a new male takes over a pride, he wants the lionesses to focus and take care of _his_ cubs, not some other dude's. So he kills them and mates with the lionesses. It's messed up, but nature seems to like being messed up."

She hummed thoughtfully, watching Beast Boy closely. It shouldn't have surprised her honestly, that he knew so much about animals. After all, he could turn into every single one.

"You know a lot about animals," she said. Beast Boy ducked his head shyly and shrugged.

"Yeah well, I guess I've always like animals y'know? It sort of helps that I can be any one of them I want too." He chuckled, his warm gaze finding her own.

"I'm sorry," she blurted. Beast Boy narrowed his eyes at this, confusion flowing off of him.

"What for?"

"I always thought of you as...stupid. But you're not. You're actually kind of smart."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's okay, I'm used to it. I mean, I never really went to school anyway." He let out a laugh. "It's no biggie."

Raven frowned. It _was_ a 'biggie'. At least to her. It wasn't really fair to the shifter that everyone and their brother judged him on first appearance, especially since he showed such depth and knowledge of science of all things.

She let it slide then, but the empath was determined from that day on to correct anyone who dared think of Beast Boy as stupid. He may have been an idiot in the sense of never thinking his actions through, but he wasn't stupid.

Not by a long shot.

Her chance arrived one day after defeating Cinderblock once _again._ It had been a long and tiresome fight, the stupid cement villain determined to run rampant through the city. They'd finally thrown the hulking giant to the ground, and Raven and Beast Boy waited off to the side while Starfire and Cyborg maintained Cinderblock's defeat and Robin consulted with the Jump City Police.

"Oh my goodness, it's you! I'm such a huge fan!" a girl said as she appeared in front of Raven. "You're so smart, you're like my role model. Here, could you sign this please?"

Raven quirked her eyebrow at the girl but grudgingly obliged. Fans were annoying, but it was nice to be appreciated, especially by normal people. Raven seemed to attract lots of freaks, so when a normal appearing person approached her, she tried to not drive them off.

"Here," she said awkwardly, handing the girl back her pen and notebook. Beast Boy threw his arm around the girl, giving her his usual charming smile.

"Want another one? It's free of charge."

The girl pushed him away, her face turning into a scowl. "Uh, no thanks. Besides, I'm not sure you know how to write anyway."

Raven stiffened. "What did you say?" she growled. The girl visibly paled, though Raven could feel her confusion.

"Uh...I-I said that I doubt he can write. After all, he's not very smart, right?"

Raven had experienced Rage before. Her second pair of eyes opening, the red mist clouding her vision, the pure fury flooding her veins. But never before had her anger been so utterly intense.

Black tendrils lashed out at the girl, dragging her close. Raven allowed the demonic features to display prominently on her face, fully intending on scaring the girl shitless.

"You listen to me, and you listen closely. Beast Boy is _not,_ nor has he _ever_ been stupid. He's reckless, he doesn't think, but he is **_not_** stupid. And if I ever hear you insinuate such a fallacy ever again, I will throw you into another dimension. Is that clear?"

The girl nodded meekly, terror spraying off of her and assaulting Raven's empathy. She released the girl, nearly throwing her onto the pavement, and strode away. A dumbstruck Beast Boy trailed behind her, his bewilderment and awe weaving into her senses.

"Uh, Rae?"

She whirled around, an angry snap on the tip of her tongue. His expression stopped her, and she tensed as the shifter threw his arms around her.

"Thanks," he mumbled. A faint blush painted her cheeks and she smiled.

Beast Boy wasn't stupid.

And Raven was going to make certain that _nobody_ made him feel that way.


	9. The Shirt

Raven was meditating.

It was early in the morning, not long after the sun had risen, and Raven had decided to take advantage of the quiet tower. She hovered in front of the huge windows in the ops room, her posture situated in the ever familiar lotus pose.

" _Azarath, Mentrion, Zinthos,"_ she muttered quietly. Raven had always been an early riser. As much as the demoness loved her friends, they could be quite aggravating and loud. At this time however, no one was awake and she got to have the place to herself.

"Hey Raven."

Well, usually she did.

The empath opened her eyes and turned to see a tired Robin shuffling to the kitchen. She sighed.

"Morning," she muttered, returning to the ground. The Boy Wonder clanked around as he started up his coffee maker. Robin was never usually fully awake before his coffee, especially after he'd been up late the night before, which it appeared today was that case.

She drifted into the kitchen and used her powers to open the cupboard. Since Robin was up, Raven knew it would only be a matter of time before everyone else stumbled out into the kitchen, and Raven wanted to at least drink some tea before then. She prepared her kettle and set it on the stove, wrapping her arms around herself as she waited. It was a bit chilly that morning, and Raven was still in her pajamas.

Or at least, what she'd worn as pajamas.

She felt Robin's gaze boring into her, and she jerked her head to shoot him a glare. "What?" she snapped.

"I didn't know you had a Star Wars shirt," Robin murmured, stifling a yawn. Raven blinked and looked down at her apparel. It was a black shirt, one she'd originally mistaken for her own. On the front was a large print of Darth Vader's mask, accompanied by the phrase 'sith happens'.

Well. That definitely wasn't hers.

Her cheeks burned and she scowled at the ground. "I don't," she muttered, much to Robin's confusion.

"Wait, really? Then who's shirt is it?"

Her flush deepened. In retrospect, she probably should have played along. But it was too late now, and Raven mentally cursed her stubbornness. Still, the empath was desperate for a way out of her current predicament, and she turned to the stove top and pretended to mess with her tea kettle. If only she'd remembered to grab her cloak. Maybe she would have been able to cover up her embarrassment.

But instead here she was, silently begging her tea to hurry up and boil.

"It's not mine," Robin mumbled, still sleepy from his lack of caffeine. "Cyborg hardly wears shirts, so it's not his either. Starfire doesn't know what Star Wars even is...Oh shit."

Raven could feel his gaze boring into her head, as well as the wheel of emotions flying off of him. She cringed inwardly. _Maybe I should phase through the floor_ , she thought.

"That's Beast Boy's shirt!"

Well, too late for that.

"Wait, why are you wearing his shirt?" Robin asked, his naive question making Raven's cheeks burn even hotter.

"It got mixed up in my laundry," she lied, hoping her voice didn't shake. Confusion still dripped off of the Titan leader, but her answer seemed to satisfy him and he left her in peace. Thankfully, the tea kettle chose then to start whistling, and Raven hurriedly snatched a mug and poured herself a share of the piping hot liquid in an attempt to vacate the ops area before Robin woke up enough to figure out the truth.

Just then, the common doors slid open and the patter of footsteps echoed in her ears. Raven glanced up to see a sleepy, shirtless Beast Boy stumble into the kitchen.

"Hey Rae have you seen my shirt? I can't find-oh."

He blinked at the sight of Raven in his surprisingly oversized t-shirt. Raven resisted the urge to beat her head against the wall.

This morning was definitely not going according to plan, at all. She watched in utter horror as Robin swivelled his gaze between to two, understanding slowly blossoming across his face.

"Wait...y-you...a-and you..." Robin's words were failing him, and the empath watched as a flush spread across his own cheeks. It was only a matter of time before Boy Wonder got himself together, and Raven really didn't want to sit through the impending lecture.

Especially an awkward one like this.

She promptly phased through the floor, leaving Beast Boy to his fate.

* * *

"You left me!" Beast Boy squawked, flinging himself onto her bed. Raven raised a brow and shot the changeling a look.

"And?" she deadpanned. He glared up at her, his face drawn in a pout.

"And I had to sit through _the talk_! From Robin of all people! It was embarrassing as hell Raven!" His arms waved wildly as he spoke, her room's shadows playing against his green skin. Raven smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Well this wouldn't be a problem if you didn't throw all of your clothes on top of mine."

It was Beast Boy's turn to roll his eyes. He dragged himself closer to her, a devious grin stretching across his lips. "We weren't exactly worried about our clothes Rae," he purred. Raven rolled her eyes and turned her head to hide her smile. Images from the night prior rose to her mind, causing her face to heat up dramatically.

For once in his life, Beast Boy was right. They really hadn't been focused on their clothes. Rather, she vividly remembered wanting them _off._ The thought added kindle to the fire that was already burning on her face. Beast Boy chuckled, nuzzling her neck and sending chills down her spine.

"You do realize Robin's determined to 'chat' about this morning, right?" he said as he snuggled closer. Raven hummed in amusement, revelling his warm embrace.

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," she murmured. Beast Boy chuckled quietly.

"What, are you gonna hide out here forever?"

Raven turned and planted a kiss on his lips, effectively shutting him up. A seductive grin laced her lips when they pulled apart, Beast Boy's giddy emotions almost making her high.

"Why would I leave?" she asked. "After all, I can think of _many_ things to occupy myself with. Especially when you're here."

That damn devilish grin spread across Beast Boy's features again, and Raven was giddy as he lurched forward and kissed her. Her mouth explored his, and she would have continued her investigation had it not been for a furious knock at her door. She pulled away with a grown, and scowled at the metal structure.

"What?" she snapped.

"Raven, it's me, Robin. We need to talk. Now."

A giggle erupted from the sheets beside her, and the empath shot Beast Boy a withering glare. He quieted, but the emotions bubbling off of him were nauseatingly giddy. Raven would have certainly slapped him had she not found him to be so endearing.

In a quick, fluid motion, she was at the door. The sorceress allowed it to open just enough to peek out at the Titan's masked leader.

"What?" she drawled. Robin huffed agitatedly and crossed his arms.

"You _could_ come out of your room," he said. She shot him a flat look, trying desperately to ignore Beast Boy's snickering. A scowl etched onto Robin's features, and he directed his gaze over her head and into her room.

"Raven, may I speak to you _alone_?" Robin all but hissed. She almost said no, but decided that perhaps this one time, she'd humor him. Raven tossed her gaze over her shoulder to her tittering boyfriend and glared.

"Don't break anything."

The changeling rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah Rae. No go talk to Rob before he blows a gasket."

With a huff Raven slipped out of her room, shooting Robin with her signature ' _I'm so gonna kill you_ ' look.

"What. Do. You. Want?" she seethed.

"I uh," he stammered, "just wanna be sure you guys are...being safe." He stared stupidly at anything but her, a pinkish tint coloring his face.

"This is stupid," Raven muttered. Robin shot her a look.

"Well, can you blame me? As leader, you guys are my responsibility. I just wanna make sure you two know what you're doing."

Raven continued to glower at the young detective, despite understanding his perspective. He may have had a point, but that didn't mean she was going to let this go so easily.

"So what, did you have a full discussion about this with Starfire before sleeping with her? Or are we supposed to do that for you?"

Robin's already pink face turned bright red, and the Titan leader glared angrily at her. "Raven!" he hissed.

"What? Embarrassed?"

This earned her a grumble. A smirk tugged at her lips and she resisted the urge to chuckle. She was about to phase back into her room when Robin spoke again.

"Look at it this way; at least you only had to put up with me. How much worse would this be if _Cyborg_ found out?"

That wiped the smirk clean off her face. Cyborg was a great friend and an intelligent human being, but when it came to her and Starfire, he was a little...overprotective. Raven cringed at the thought of sitting through a lecture from her cybernetic friend. A lecture like that would be sure to include diagrams and threats to Beast Boy's bodily health should he do anything stupid.

Not exactly something Raven wanted to deal with.

"Fine. This wasn't terrible," she growled. "But I still don't appreciate it."

Robin sighed, shaking his head. Raven didn't give him the chance to respond, instead she vanished into the safety of her room.

"So," Garfield said, "how'd it go?"

The empath rolled her eyes and slid under the covers beside him. "Awkward as hell, as expected."

This earned her a chuckle from the changeling. He slung an arm around her, toying with the hem of the shirt she wore.

"Eh, I think it was worth it," he said. Raven raised a brow at this, her curiosity ignited.

"Oh? How?"

Beast Boy smirked. "You look pretty sexy in that shirt."

At that Raven did slap him, much to his amusement. Still, she found a smile playing on her lips.

Maybe she'd have to wear his clothes more often...


	10. Silly Fears

Raven was afraid.

Admitting her emotions was a necessity. Any time she denied emotions, things tended to blow up. Or monsters climbed out of her psyche and terrorized the tower with her powers. Either option was a possibility, she knew that now. Hell, she'd known that for years.

So yes. She was afraid.

Sweat trickled down her neck, sending chills down her spine. She cursed silently as she paced, the rhythm of her steps creating a dull beat against the carpeted floor of her room. Her stomach was in knots, and she felt rather nauseous.

Then again, she'd been nauseous since this morning now that she thought about it.

The thought did little to calm her, rather it only added to kindle to the already raging fire. She was afraid, more so than any other moment in her life, and that was saying something. After all, Raven had literally stared hell in the face, and yet the situation she was in now was ten times more terrifying.

She was pregnant.

Raven supposed she had every right to be afraid. After all, she was the spawn of Trigon the Terrible; not exactly great parenting skills there. Plus there was her powers and how fickle they could be. But that wasn't why she was scared shitless.

Okay, so yeah, powers exploding near the baby was a pretty decent possibility, but Raven was much more experienced now, and even if such a thing occurred, she knew how to handle it. And even though a small lurking fear worried about how good of a parent she'd be, Raven knew she was at least okay. After all, Timmy, Teether, and Melvin all loved her, even now that they were older. Plus, she enjoyed babysitting little Mar'i every now-and-again.

No, her real fear was whether or not she'd unintentionally cursed this unborn child. Even though she'd defeated Trigon, there was still a small chance he could return, especially with a grandchild running around.

That, and she had to tell Garfield.

Logically, Raven _knew_ Garfield would be overjoyed by the news. Hell, he'd been talking about marriage and kids since the first few months they'd started dating. He was head over heals for her, and would probably cry or something when she told him. And yet this stupid, irrational fear that he'd flip and abandon her latched itself to the core of her being and wouldn't let go, no matter what logical argument she came up with.

With a sigh, Raven slumped into a nearby armchair and gazed daggers at the clock on the wall. It was only twelve, and Garfield wouldn't be back from patrol for another half an hour. Far too much time to keep from freaking out. Raven contemplated distracting herself with a book, but she knew she was too frazzled to actually get into reading. Although Raven had suspected her condition for about a week, she had just gone to the doctor to confirm it earlier that morning.

Hence the waves of terror that coursed through her. With another frazzled sigh, the empath decided her best course of action would be to meditate while she waited. After all, it would be a shame to break the new vase she'd bought the other day.

She floated in the lotus position and focused on breathing in and out, feeling her body calm as her breathing stabilized. Her mind stilled, only the occasional fleeting thought dancing around the exterior of the empty barrier set in place for meditating.

Raven wasn't sure how long she meditated, perhaps only a few minutes to an hour, but her concentration was broken when the sounds of a door banging open rattled the apartment. She drifted to the ground and turned towards the entrance, the image of Garfield wriggling out of his shoes making her heart flutter.

She was so not ready for this.

Her boyfriend collapsed onto the couch with a groan, his hand running through his dark forest colored hair, making the sweaty strands stick up in odd places. A wry smile tugged at Raven's lips, and she shot him a curious glance.

"Sounds like you had a fun patrol today."

Garfield scowled. "There was nothing there! I dunno what Bats is thinking, but those cultists aren't here in Jump! I literally checked everywhere! It doesn't help that those kids don't know what they're doing either. I'm telling you Rae, they have no clue how to look for clues. None! These new Titans need a helluva lot more training before they fight anyone, or they'll get killed!"

Raven rolled her eyes. About a year prior, she and the rest of the original Titans had graduated onto bigger and better things. Starfire had become an intergalactic diplomat, working to start up an maintain a sort of United Nations between galaxies to keep the peace. Robin, now Nightwing, along with her and Cyborg, had been official inducted into the Justice League. Garfield was now the head of the Titans organization as a whole, though he worked some League missions on the side. She knew the Justice League was waiting to snatch him up as well, though the shapeshifter seemed to enjoy working with the kids still.

Even when he griped about it.

"Hmm. I'm sure it wasn't _that_ bad," she teased lightly. Garfield grunted, a scowl etched onto his features. Raven toyed with the hem of her cloak silently, internally freaking out. She had no clue how to initiate the conversation, and her panic level was quickly rising. After all, there wasn't really a manual for this sort of thing.

Right?

"Uh, Rae? Everything okay?"

She blinked, having been staring off into space during her internal meltdown. A flush stung her cheeks, and she forced a grin onto her face. "Y-yeah, of course," she stammered, wishing nothing more than to bang her head onto the wall repeatedly for the rest of eternity.

Garfield made a face at her. "You're lying," he said. Raven huffed.

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. What's up, Rae?"

Biting her lip, Raven perched precariously beside Garfield on the couch, a tidal wave of emotions sloshing around in her belly. She took a deep breath, her gaze fleeing to anything but him. This was it, she was going to tell him.

Now, Raven prided herself in being well spoken. She didn't often stutter, and was often very blunt and straight to the point. The fact that she was an avid reader helped too, it provided her with a wide reaching vocabulary, which she used often. As such, the empath had poured countless hours into thinking of just the right words to say all week for this particular occasion, and despite her terror she thought she was well prepared with her little speech.

Oh how wrong she was.

"I..." One look at Garfield and the words died in her throat. This only concerned him more, the flood of worry battering her emphatic senses. She blinked, silently cursing herself. _Say something, dammit,_ she thought.

"Lovely weather, huh?"

At this, the shapeshifter blinked in utter confusion, and Raven dropped her head in her hands. This was going terribly. Oh, so very horribly. The strong feelings of bewilderment from Garfield only added fuel to the fire, and soon enough Raven was laughing hysterically at herself and her current predicament. This of course, only scared Garfield, who had grabbed her shoulders and was peering at her with an expression of pure terror.

"Raven? Raven, what the hell's going on?"

The sorceress managed to gain some level of control over herself, her hysterical cackling subsiding into giggles as she attempted to calm down. She blamed her changing hormones, after all, Raven wasn't much of a giggler, until now anyway.

"S-sorry," she giggled. "I dunno why I'm laughing!" Tears streamed down her face from her previous episode, making Raven feel quite ridiculous. She was quite a hot mess at the moment, which was definitely not helping the situation.

Garfield gently cradled her face in his hands, swiping the stream of tears away with his thumb. "Yeah, well me neither. You're kind of freaking me out here Rave."

With a sigh, Raven carefully removed his hand and gazed at his face, fear once again coiling in her gut. She took a deep breath. And another. Finally, with a glance at their entangled hands, she said it.

"I'm pregnant."

Silence.

She clenched his hands desperately, her throat thick and dry. Why wasn't he saying anything? Raven risked a glance at his face, her breath catching at his expression of complete awe and wonder. In a second, he was on his knees, tugging her close.

"Marry me," he breathed, catching her by complete surprise.

"What?" she asked, bewildered. Garfield chuckled.

"I-I know this seems silly Rae, but I love you so damn much. I've been waiting for the perfect moment to ask, and now just seems...right."

Raven smiled. "You know I'm going to be huge here in the next six months right?"

He shrugged. "Let's go now then."

"Now? As in get married at the courthouse?"

"Sure, why not?" he asked. "We already live together, and now we're having a kid. Might as well just tie the knot now. Besides," he quipped with a grin, "I'm not very patient."

Raven thought for a moment. She was never an impulsive person, always thinking things out before rushing in, but this was something she couldn't see a downside too. She'd known Garfield since they were teens, and had been dating the man for three years and lived with him for many more. She was utterly in love with him, and though the prospect of marriage was daunting to her, she could see no one else she'd rather take on the challenge with.

And so, she shrugged. "Sure," she murmured, kissing him softly. And with that, the shifter gently scooped her up in his arms and toted her out of the apartment, the two laughing all the while.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Hey there! So sorry for the delay, I just hadn't had a decent little idea until this came along. Oops. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it!**

 **Thanks again for the support,**

 **-vixensheart**


	11. A Brush With Death, Part One

**_Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

The clock on the wall ticked rhythmically, providing a musical backdrop to an otherwise silent hallway. Raven sat in the ridiculously uncomfortable chair, her back rigid and straight as she stared at the opposite wall with a dazed, faraway look in her eyes. Her mind was in a haze; the only things she was aware of in the hallway were her, the clock, and the chair.

 _ **Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.**_

Time was endless. The hours stretched on and on, and Raven forgot how long she'd been sitting there. An hour? Two? Twelve? There was no way to know. Not without moving from this spot, and there was no way in hell Raven was about to move. No, she was staying right here, and there wasn't anything that anyone could do to make her change her mind.

Not that anyone tried.

 ** _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

She was aware of someone settling into the chair beside her, someone familiar. Her mind was too frazzled to focus on the cool aura of her new companion, but she had an idea of who it was. There was only one other person who could sit with her in this state and not get fried. Still, she remained silent, continuing her tirade of glaring at the wall in front of her.

"Have you heard anything?"

The voice shattered the rhythmic silence she'd enforced upon herself, and Raven turned to stare bleary eyed at the worn out Titan beside her.

"No."

Her voice broke as she spoke, and just like that, the dam that held of her emotions in check crumbled. Tears began to drip down her cheeks, and it was all she could do to keep from sobbing hysterically. Her companion placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but otherwise respected her personal space. She glanced up at him, his figure distorted through the tears in her eyes.

"Everything will be okay."

Raven's face twisted into a scowl. "How do you know?" she shouted, her sudden outburst making Robin jump. A sob broke loose, and Raven's head dropped into her hands once more. "This...this is my fault." Her voice was a whisper. "If I'd just..."

"Just what?"

Her head jerked back up to meet Robin's hard stare. "Raven, there was _nothing_ you could have done. Not without killing yourself!" His words echoed in her mind, and she pawed at her eyes and shook her head vigorously.

"So? I could have _saved_ him! I-I could have..."

In a flash, Robin was in front of her, gripping her shoulders. "Raven, look at me."

She glanced up, wilting under his sharp glare.

"Don't _ever_ say that."

She tried to protest, but Robin shushed her. "Beast Boy would never want you to do something like that. Do you hear me? He loves you Raven, more than you realize. He'd much rather you live than hurt yourself for his sake. Got it?"

Raven took in a shaky breath and nodded, appeasing the Boy Wonder. This didn't stop the dark whispers that plagued her, telling her she was a coward who'd doomed the one person she loved more than anything she'd ever loved before. She cradled her head in her heads, wet tears dripping through her fingers.

 ** _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

Time continued to stretch on. Raven's companions began to vary; it seemed that Robin had finally roped Cyborg and Starfire into taking turns sitting with her. They didn't try to talk with her, choosing instead to sit in silence and offer their quiet support. Sometimes Starfire would rub her back. Cyborg would play some soft music. And Robin just sat with her.

At one point, one of them brought her food, but Raven took no interest in the meager hospital provisions. Instead she continued to stare ahead, hoping, crying, _praying_. She was only vaguely aware of the buzzing of her empathy, her own grief blocking out the pains and joys of the patrons around her. It was as if a soft blanket had been wrapped around her senses; she saw, heard, and felt little.

Instead, she relived the day's previous events over, and over again.

 ** _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

It started off like any other day. But didn't these things always?

Raven had woken up, meditated, and drank her tea. It was a pretty day that day, nary a cloud in the sky. Her quiet morning didn't last forever though, and moments after finishing her tea the common room doors burst open to reveal a boisterous changeling.

"Mornin', Rae-Rae!" he chirped. Raven glowered at him, clutching at her now empty mug. He took no notice of her irritated demeanor, or if he did, he ignored it, and proceeded to hum loudly to himself as he trotted into the kitchen.

"Hey, Rae, do we have any cereal left?"

Raven growled. "It's _Raven._ And no, you ate the last of it yesterday."

"Aw, man!"

He bent down to rustle through a lower drawer, and Raven found herself staring. His tight shirt revealed the sinewy back muscles, making her cheeks burn. The empath quickly looked away, occupying herself with pretending to meditate.

It was embarrassing enough to be attracted to Beast Boy, there was no need to embarrass herself further by giving it away.

 ** _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

"Raven, look out!"

She immediately dropped to the ground, shooting out her dark energy at the perpetrator who had snuck up on her. He yelped and was flung off into the far wall of the warehouse, hitting it with a satisfying thump.

Raven jumped to her feet, whirling around to her teammates. All had their hands full, and Raven tried to quickly asses who was most in need of her assistance. Starfire let out a pained cry as the perp sparing with her landed a nasty blow with a large, barbed hook he used as a weapon. Raven disappeared into the floor and reappeared behind the two brawling opponents.

"Let go of my friend," she hissed, lashing out at the man with her dark energy. The masked robber nearly squealed as the magical energy encircled him, squeezing his middle as Raven yanked him close and landed a solid punch to his temple. He went limp and she tossed him aside, immediately flying to Starfire's side to asses her wounds.

"Are you hurt?" she asked. Starfire rolled her shoulders and shook her head, beaming.

"No, I am alright."

A roar from a bear nabbed both of their attentions, and they turned to see Beast Boy cornered by a pair of the robbers. They both yielded some sort of high tech spears that crackled with electricity as they lunged at the massive, mossy colored polar bear. Starfire's expression turned grim, and her eyes glowed green.

"It seems that friend Beast Boy needs our assistance."

Raven nodded, dark energy crackling from her fingertips. They flew into the fray, launching their respective bolts of energy at the perps, making them scatter quickly. Beast Boy roared viciously, his teeth flashing white in the low light. He melted back into his human form, the adrenaline pumping off of him nearly making Raven giddy.

"Dude, what's up with these guys?" he shouted. Raven dropped down beside him, subconsciously checking him for injuries.

"I don't know," she muttered.

 _ **Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.** _

It was a robbery gang. From the detective work Robin had done, they'd discovered that this particular group ran an underground ring where they sold their stolen wares to other underground operations, including some big name villains like Penguin and even Slade. They called themselves the Bandits; an unoriginal name in Raven's opinion. Still, they were brutal, not shying away from killing those who interfered.

They had incredible technologies at their disposal, having created and used a wide variety of deadly weapons that they used in their heists. The incident that morning was no exception. They had strange grappling hooks that could light on fire, spears that crackled with electricity, grenades that dispersed noxious gasses. But worst of all, they had one weapon that was so ironically common.

They had a gun.

 ** _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock._**

It had happened so fast. Raven had been busy keeping the defeated perps in prison of her black energy, while keeping an eye on her teammates. Her gaze had been drawn to Beast Boy as it had been as of late, and she watched him wrestle one of the robbers with a gnawing terror in her gut. He had the upper hand, managing to pin the loser on his back, and had glanced up to meet her gaze, when everything happened at once.

The perp had yanked a hand free. In the second that Beast Boy and Raven had locked gazes, the man had pulled a pistol out of his jacket and fired. The shot echoed through the warehouse, all fighting grinding to a halt. Raven watched in fascinated horror as Beast Boy's eyes widened before he leaned to the side and collapsed on the ground. The idiot who had shot him pushed him away and crawled to his feet.

Raven was frozen. She stared at the space Beast Boy had previously occupied, falling into a confused stupor. Why'd he fall over? The gleam of the pistol in the corner of her eye spurred her into motion. Black tentacles leaped out from under her, snatching up the offender and throwing him into the cemented ground, where bones cracked sickeningly. She propelled herself to Beast Boy's side, tears already burning down her cheeks as she knelt in a pool of his blood.

With shaking hands, she gently rolled him onto his back, gasping at the blooming red spot growing on his stomach.

"Hey," he coughed, blood trailing town his chin. Raven simple gawked, her mind racing.

She had to do something, she had to _save_ him. An icy blue glow emanated from her hands, and she pressed them against his bloodied belly. With intense concentration, the empath located the bullet and began pulling it out of his muscle tissue. She heard the shifter gasp in pain, and she winced as the spasm crossed her emphatic senses.

 _Concentrate._

The bullet was removed quickly, and she set about trying to stitch together the torn tissue and blood vessels, a task that was slowly draining all of her energy. Shge only halted when a warm, wet hand covered her own, and she sharply glanced up to see Beast Boy's intense gaze on her.

"Raven," he gasped.

Another tear rolled down her cheek. "Shh, I'm busy."

"Please...don't..."

Raven blinked, confused. "Don't what? I'm saving your life!"

Beast Boy smiled sadly at her, coughing sharply again. "You're...hurting your...self."

"So?"

"Rae..."

She stared hard at him, precious seconds ticking by. There was a wild clamour going on around them as their teammates screamed and shouted, but none of it mattered. Raven looked back down at Beast Boy's bleeding stomach, a final idea forming in her raging mind.

"Azarath, Mentrion, _Zinthos_!"

In a flash, they were gone, transported to a nearby hospital.

 _ **Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.**_

She'd fallen asleep. It was understandable that she'd be tired, given what she'd just gone through, but to Raven it was an unforgivable sin. She bolted upright in the stiff plastic chair, glancing wildly about.

"You're awake."

Raven turned to see Cyborg watching her with his tired, brotherly gaze. She shrugged, clutching her arms around herself.

"The doctor came by."

The words made her blood itself freeze. Raven hugged herself tightly, gazing at Cyborg with wide eyes. She suddenly felt very small, knowing very well that the news she was about to hear would change her life forever.

Cyborg's gaze softened. "The surgery was a success. He's alive, Rae."

Raven had never hugged anyone tighter than she did in that moment.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey! So this is gonna be a two-parter since this got so long haha. It's dark, I know, but hey it'll turn out all right! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it!  
**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


	12. A Brush With Death, Part Two

_**Beep...Beep...Beep...**_

A galaxy of auras danced across her emphatic eye. It was dizzying really, how many dots of life were shifting and moving as far as she could see, but her focus wasn't on the thousands around her. No, Raven was sifting through the twinkling stars, searching for a very specific one.

She lightly brushed each shimmering aura she saw, a swarming ocean of thoughts, feelings, and characteristics trying to pull her in tight, but each time she pulled back and rejoined her search. At least, until she found the right one.

 _Beast Boy._

Within seconds, she had located his warm, albeit dull, aura, and was out of her chair and stiffly strutting down the hall and towards that beacon of light. Her heart pounded in her chest; an innate _need_ to see him, to reassure herself that he was okay, kindled a pounding rush of adrenaline in her veins. She was on a mission, and no one could get in her way.

"Raven? Wait, Raven, come back here! _Raven_!"

She halted, an irritated growl burning in her throat. Well. Almost no one. She whirled around shooting Cyborg a look she knew could certainly kill. He seemed to wilt somewhat under her glare, but the cybernetic teen stood firm, reaching her in a few short strides.

"What, Cyborg?" she seethed.

"Where are you running off to?"

She glared at him blankly. "Beast Boy. I'm going to see Beast Boy. Where else would I be going?"

Cyborg grinned sheepishly. "Right. Well uh, he's in ICU, so-"

"Yes, I know."

Rolling her eyes, Raven whirled around and took a step to continue on her little mission, when she felt Cyborg's cool and gentle grip on her arm. She paused, turning to shoot him another glare.

"What?"

"Uh, you should probably clean up a little before you go."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Clean up? She glanced down at herself, and gasped. Her uniform was a wreck. There were tears and burn marks all across the dull fabric, giving her a ratty, battle-worn look. Alongside the tears and burns was something crusty and dry, too dark to differentiate from the black leotard. However, the stuff caking her shins gave Raven a pretty good idea what she was covered in.

Blood. Beast Boy's dried blood.

Chills ran up and down her spine as images of the shapeshifter bleeding out on the ground flashed across her mind.

Cyborg's arm wrapped around her shoulders comfortingly, and he began leading her in the opposite direction. "C'mon, I'll have Starfire bring you some clothes," he murmured softly. She nodded halfheartedly, her mind abuzz with how damn lucky they were.

 ** _Beep...Beep...Beep..._**

Raven stared at her reflection. Her face was ghastly pale, with large, dark rings imprinted under her eyes. Red smudges patterned by her eyes and cheeks, blood smears from wiping away her tears with blood-stained hands. Raven heaved a sigh, yanking the faucet handle and dunking her hands under the stream of water. She let it pool in her palms, before splashing her face and rubbing away the smudges with a paper towel. Her legs received the same treatment; a few splashes of water and a rub down with a paper towel.

Once cleaned, Raven peeled off the soiled leotard and slipped into the fresh clothes Starfire had fetched from home. She hummed contentedly, reveling in the feel of the soft fabric.

Much better.

With a final glance at her reflection, she disappeared out of the bathroom.

 _ **Beep...Beep...Beep...**_

His room loomed up in front of her, teasing her with the notion that he wasn't there; that this was all a lie and he was gone. It was silly really, but nevertheless Raven found herself staring at the opening with apprehension.

"Hey, Raven. Feeling better?"

Raven whirled around to see Robin standing behind her, a tired expression on his face. She nodded, toying with a loose thread at the hem of her shirt. "Y-yeah, much better." Her gaze wandered back to the doorway, and she bit her lip.

"You gonna go in?" Robin asked. Raven jumped a little at his voice, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah," she murmured. The Boy Wonder placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed it affectionately, before heading into the hospital room in front of her. Raven cast another nervous glance at the doorway and took a deep breath, following Robin inside.

It was just like any other hospital room; crisp, white walls refracted the fluorescent lights, giving the room a bright atmosphere. White, tile floors and a large bay window completed the look, and a massive hospital bed dominated the space. Raven's gaze locked onto the green boy settled onto the bed, his sleeping form swallowed by the white linen sheets and overly fluffy pillows.

Her legs found the will to move, and Raven collapsed into one of the cushioned visitor chairs that sat right next to Beast Boy's bed, barely registering her teammates occupying the remaining chairs. A nearby heart monitor beeped in steady rhythm with his heart. It was the sweetest music Raven had heard all day.

 _ **Beep...Beep...Beep...**_

Raven caressed his limp hand, fascinated by it. She rarely ever saw his hands, and never this close. It was a regular hand, just like any human's, aside from the green pigment. Surprisingly, there were calluses on his palm, patches of rough skin that Raven was surprised to find there. She didn't mind it though, in fact she rather liked Beast Boy's hands. They were so warm; a reminder that this was real and that Beast Boy was okay.

 _ **Beep...Beep...Beep...**_

He looked so...peaceful. His expression was calm, as if he was in a carefree and dreamless sleep. Every breath he took was gentle, like a quiet harmony to the beeping heart monitor. She could watch him sleep for the rest of eternity.

With a sigh, Raven laid her head on his bed, still gently caressing his hand. Yes, she could just stay here, like this. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she let her mind drift, finally feeling at peace.

 ** _Beep...Beep...Beep..._**

Something woke her. Raven blinked, sitting up. She gazed about, momentarily confused, when a voice cut through her thoughts.

"Hey, Rae."

She froze. "G-Garfield," she breathed. The boy on the bed beside her chuckled softly, his tired smile lighting up his face.

"Nice to see you too."

Raven lurched forward to hug him, but thought better of it the last second. Instead, she pressed a gentle kiss onto his forehead. She flushed brightly upon realizing what she'd just done, and flopped back into her chair, her signature deadpan settling across her features. "Do something like that again, and I'll kill you myself," she muttered. Beast Boy laughed.

"You know you love me," he teased, his voice hoarse.

At this, Raven froze. Her heart hammered in her chest and felt a million miles away, a sudden and terrifying realization clutching her in its grasp. Her stoic demeanor cracked, and it must have been noticeable, as Beast Boy's grin faded.

"Hey," he murmured, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "I'm okay, I promise."

She nodded stiffly, clinging to his hand like it was her lifeline. It wasn't long after that the rest of the team filtered back in and realized he was awake, and soon enough the hospital room was alive with pleasant chatter. Through it all, Raven clutched Beast Boy's hand, refusing to let go. She took a backseat, content to simply observe the way Beast Boy joked and laughed with Cyborg and Robin, and reassured Starfire.

Raven was happy. But a lingering thought whispered at the back of her mind, and she wasn't sure what had scared her more; Beast Boy's brush with death, or the sudden realization that she was hopelessly and utterly in love with him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **And here's part two, the epic conclusion! This was a fun two-parter to write, I loved exploring Raven's character in this. Who knows, maybe I'll add some more parts here and there, I have some ideas, but for now have this. I hope you guys liked it as much as I loved writing it!**

 **Thanks again for all the support!**

 **-vixensehart**


	13. Playing Doctor

Raven's eyes snapped open, the dark shadows of her room dancing in her vision.

Something was amiss.

She rolled over and peered at her alarm clock, blinking at the bright LEDs that stung at her retinas. It was two-thirty in the morning, far too early for her to actually be awake. With a groan, Raven sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Why'd she wake up? Did a teammate have a nightmare? Her emphatic walls dropped, and she searched the tower.

Robin? Asleep. Starfire? Sleeping, though with Robin again. Cyborg? Dull, so sleeping. Beast Boy? His aura's light shimmered with wakefulness, but something was off. It was paler, weaker, as though his aura was tempted to blink out for a bit. Troubled, Raven tossed aside her sheets and padded out of her room to find him.

She found him curled up around the toilet in the bathroom, shaking like a tree in a hurricane. Her emphatic eye was overloaded with Beast Boy's intense nausea, and Raven had to slam her wall closed. She leaned against the doorway for a moment, steadying herself as the sick feeling dissipated. "Beast Boy?" she asked, her voice rough with sleep. The changeling stirred at his name, but simply whimpered in response.

Raven stepped over to his side, leaning over to feel his forehead. His skin was like fire, burning hot and clammy to the touch. She sighed. Well, this wasn't good. She contemplated getting Cyborg, when Beast Boy lurched forward and gagged, though nothing came up. She wasn't sure how long he'd been sick, but apparently his stomach was empty. Absently, Raven rubbed his back and waited for the spell to end, before she phased into the kitchen to grab a cup of water. She returned and knelt beside the sick shapeshifter, and nudged him.

"Drink."

Slowly, Beast Boy took a few sips. She tried to get him to drink more, but he refused, whimpering again. Raven sighed. He couldn't stay here. For one thing, his current position looked incredibly uncomfortable. Two, it was a little hard to look after him in the cramped bathroom. He was too big for her to carry, as the boy had hit a rather impressive growth spurt a few months prior, and was now taller than her. She thought about teleporting him, but typically teleporting sick people never went well. Teleportation was rather abrasive to a person's body, and Raven didn't want to make Beast Boy suffer more than he was already. Instead, she encased him in dark energy and carried him to the ops room that way.

She settled him on the couch, fetching a pillow from his room as well as a light blanket, to help quell the shivering. Once he was all wrapped up, she teleported to the med bay and snatched a thermometer to take his temperature. It took a minute to coax Beast Boy to let her do it, as he stubbornly buried his face into his pillow and groaned. Eventually, she won out and stuck the thermometer in his mouth, waiting for the device to get a reading. It beeped, and she gently plucked the thermometer away, holding it up closely to read the digital display.

One hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit.

Well, he definitely had a fever. She set the thermometer on the coffee table, and disappeared into the kitchen. Finding a towel, she ran it under cold water, rang it out, and brought it back to the sickly changeling. Raven carefully folded the rag and placed it onto his hot forehead. Beast Boy shivered, whimpering again.

"Oh, Garfield." The name slipped past her tongue almost reflexively, surprising her. She usually only called him that to tease him; he hated it after all. And yet, it slipped out in a strangely comforting manner. Raven sighed, and fetched a trashcan, just in case, before settling into a lotus position.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Raven?"

A hand shook her shoulder, snapping her into wakefulness. She bolted up, her gaze meeting the confused stare of Robin as he knelt beside her.

"Why are you and Beast Boy sleeping out in the ops?" he asked. Raven's brow furrowed in confusion, and she glanced around her to confirm that yes, she was in the ops room. Suddenly, images from the night prior tumbled to the surface, and she scrambled to her feet.

"Shit."

Bleary eyed, she stumbled to the couch, where Beast Boy lay sprawled out in a sweaty, feverish mess. His blanket was on the ground, forgotten in a bout of a hot flash. Raven felt his forehead. It was sweaty and hot, maybe hotter than last night. She swiped the thermometer off the coffee table, and gently roused the changeling to take his temperature.

"One hundred and four," she muttered. Raven wasn't well versed in medicine, at least from an illness standpoint, but even she knew that was bad. At least, for a normal human. She wasn't sure how bad it was for Beast Boy, and was all the more angry at herself for falling asleep.

"Want me to get Cyborg?"

Robin's voice interrupted her train wreck of thoughts, and she glanced up to see him hovering by the couch. With a sigh, she nodded. Cyborg was better at this stuff anyway, and she probably should have gotten him in the first place. Robin dipped his head and disappeared, leaving her alone once again with the ill changeling. She gently picked up the now dry washcloth and wet it down again, draping it onto his forehead once more.

Beast Boy shivered, his eyes cracking open. They were glazed and unfocused, far duller than usual. He mumbled something incoherently, shaking and shivering once again. Raven plucked the shed blanket off the ground and draped it over him, gently tucking him in. The shivering ceased for the most part, and Beast Boy drifted back into his fevered sleep.

Raven sighed. Beast Boy didn't get sick often, and this was the worst she'd ever seen. Usually, he was quite over-dramatic, whining and pretending to be pitiful to get attention. This time around, he'd barely uttered a word, and seemed way out of it. Raven almost felt bad for all the times she snapped at him in the past while he was sick; if this was what truly ill was for Beast Boy, she'd much rather put up with his whining.

At least then, it wasn't too serious.

The ops doors flew open then, and in strode Cyborg and Robin. She could immediately feel the cybernetic teen's worry clouding the air around him, only for it to thicken as his gaze landed on their green friend.

"You said his fever was one hundred and four?" he asked. Raven nodded, stepping aside as Cyborg knelt down beside the changeling. He stuck a finger in his ear, glancing at his arm to check the reading. "Damn. Let's get him to the med bay, I'll set up an IV." Not waiting for her response, Cyborg scooped Beast Boy up and started off towards the elevator, leaving her to trail behind them.

* * *

It was the flu.

A pretty nasty case, since that was the strain going around this season. Raven had nearly rolled her eyes back into her head after listening to Cyborg rant and rave about how Beast Boy had refused to take his flu shot. While she agreed that they wouldn't have been in this predicament had he complied, Raven sympathized with the shapeshifter after experiencing his near panic attack at the sight of a needle.

Needless to say, they'd managed to get his fever under control pretty quickly, Cyborg's ranting aside.

Raven flipped the page of her book, lost in a world of fantasy. They were taking turns watching over Beast Boy, and it was Raven's turn. Or at least, she'd volunteered to take Starfire's so she could help get Cinderblock back in his cell _again_. Raven wasn't entirely sure why she'd volunteered, but the thought of being very far from Beast Boy while he was in this state was overwhelming. Maybe she was just being protective. He was her friend after all.

Either way, here she was, sitting in a chair beside his cot, reading.

Luckily, Beast Boy slept for the most part. She was only interrupted occasionally by a whimper or groan, though those had become infrequent. Mostly, Raven would pause every now and again to check his temperature or refresh the wet rag on his forehead. She tucked her bookmark into place and set her book aside, swiping the thermometer to check his temperature, as she hadn't checked in awhile.

"Hey, Rae."

The scratchy voice caught her off-guard, and she dropped the thermometer and whirled around to see Beast Boy very much awake and smiling tiredly at her. Immediately, she was at his side with her hand glued to his forehead.

"How do you feel?"

"Like shit," he said, "but better."

Raven hummed, absently noticing he still felt warm to the touch. She abandoned her seat to scoop up the thermometer from the floor and shoved it into his mouth, after wiping it off of course. Beast Boy's face screwed up at the action but he complied and waited for the device to beep so she could get a good reading. Raven plucked it from his mouth and held it up. One hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

"Well, your fever's gone down. Which is good." She set the thermometer down and shot him a glance. "Do you want anything?"

Beast Boy leaned back into his pillow. "What are you reading?"

Raven blinked. "Pardon?"

"What are you reading?"

She glanced at her book, confusion spreading across her features. "Uh...A Wrinkle In Time." Raven wasn't sure if it was the fever, or if he was actually blushing, but either way Beast Boy's face was flushed.

"Could you read it to me?" His voice was small, and seeing him so pale and pitiful wrapped up in his blankets, Raven couldn't say no. So, she pulled her chair up close and cracked open her book, quietly reading the words aloud. She wasn't sure how long she was reading, she got rather lost in telling the story, but the next time she glanced at Beast Boy, he was fast asleep.

He looked surprisingly cute, curled up in a ball with a very peaceful expression on his features. His hair was all sorts of messy, sticking up in odd places from all the tossing and turning. Raven hesitantly set her book down, leaning forward to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. She could have sworn she saw Beast Boy smile a small smile, but it was so fleeting she thought she'd imagined it.

With a small grin of her own, she picked up her book and began reading once more.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I wanted to write about Raven taking care of Beast Boy, and this came about. Maybe I'll so the other way around. Who knows? Either way, enjoy!**

 **Thanks,**

 **-vixensheart**


	14. Attack of the Snuggle Monster

Raven flipped the page of her book.

It was a cold day outside, with a snowstorm raging with an unmatched fury. To Raven, this was the perfect day to stay inside, curled up with a blanket on the couch with a mug of steaming tea and a favorite book.

To top the day off, there was no alerts and no sign of criminal activity. It appeared that even the villains of the world knew better than to commit crimes out in the unforgiving weather. Raven didn't mind, she rather loved days like this. Especially when Robin cancelled training due to the biting cold. It was the perfect day, and Raven was content to lose herself in the fictional world of mages and magic.

She barely noticed when the door of the common room slid open, and only paused to sip her tea. At the back of her mind, Raven registered Cyborg's swirling blue aura and the cloud of annoyance that followed, but she was so focused on the wild plotline that she paid the robotic teen no heed.

"Stupid Grass Stain."

Cyborg's voice sucked Raven out of her mystical world, and she lowered the book to shoot Cyborg a flat look. "Something bothering you?" she asked, praying she wouldn't regret getting involved.

"I can't find Beast Boy!" Cyborg snapped. Raven rolled her eyes and sighed.

 _Fine,_ she thought, _I'll take the bait._ "Why are you looking for Beast Boy?"

Cyborg sighed, collapsing on the couch. "We're supposed to be playin' a racing marathon, but he just up and disappeared!" His hands flew up in the air as he ranted, a scowl stamped onto his features. Raven rolled her eyes.

Of course he wanted to play video games. Cyborg and Beast Boy had these marathons often, and it while Raven loved her friends dearly, it was annoying. _Very_ annoying. They usually got loud and created a disaster zone in the ops that only got cleaned weeks after their silly event. She shrugged, her gaze dropping back to her book.

"Oh well," she said, slowly drifting back into the story. But Cyborg seemed intent on ranting.

"I just don't get it! Where could that goofy kid have gone? I can't find him on my sensors or cameras anywhere! It's just like he's disappeared!"

Raven glared at her book. She regretting getting involved. She regretted it so much. "He's a shapeshifter," she said coolly, "he probably changed into a fly or something." Raven could have cared less about the situation, especially with such an interesting book in her clutches. But it seemed as though her reading session was over, as she could feel Cyborg's irritation vanish in light of a bright and cheerful bubble.

"Hey, you can sense people, right?"

She shot him a look so dry, deserts paled in comparison. "How long have we fought together?" she asked wryly. Cyborg's expression turned sheepish.

"Yeah. Right. Well, can you help me find BB?"

Raven sighed. She should have seen this coming, she really should have. Raven breathed in. And out. With a huff, she tucked her bookmark in place. "Fine. But this is the _only_ time I'll do this. Got it?"

Cyborg nodded eagerly, a goofy grin dancing on his lips. Raven sighed and set her book aside, closing her eyes in concentration. The world around her quieted, and pinpricks of light lit up around her. Following the trail of auras, she let her senses wander from the ops to the rest of the tower. She found Starfire's yellow glow in the laundry room, a cheerful shine to her alien friend's light. Robin's reddish aura danced in the gym, and Silkie's animal glow was somewhere in Starfire's room. She got to Beast Boy's room, and frowned.

Beast Boy wasn't in his room. He was not in the laundry room, gym, training room, evidence room, garage, or even outside. He wasn't in Starfire's room, any of the empty rooms, Robin's room, or even Cyborg's room.

He was in _her_ room.

Raven stood stiffly. "I'll be back." She vanished from the room, leaving behind a baffled Cyborg. Not that she cared. No, she was more concerned with Beast Boy at the moment. Especially since he was in her _room_. Raven was miffed, and that annoyance was slowly growing as she reappeared in front of her door. Her room was her solace, her one place of privacy. Beast Boy _knew_ this, and ever since he'd fallen into her mirror, he'd never come in unless she'd invited him.

So why was he there now?

A scowl etched onto her face as she punched in the code for her door, stepping inside as it slid open. She was fully prepared to give the changeling a verbal lashing and possibly whack him upside the head, only to pause in confusion. Beast Boy was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't rustling through her things, as she'd expected, and he wasn't messing up her bed, poking at her books, or worse yet, playing with her mirror.

He wasn't here.

And yet, according to her empathy, he was. Raven tiptoed forward, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Beast Boy?" she called quietly. She didn't get an answer, and Raven wasn't sure if that was terrifying or relieving. She was about to give up, when her closet caught her eye. There was a massive pile of cloaks and clothing amassed on the floor, sticking out just a little. Raven tilted her head and peered inside, her eyes widening at the sight.

There, amid the pile of clothes, was Beast Boy, curled up in a ball and fast asleep. Immediately, her irritation dissipated and a small smile worked its way onto her face. She probably should have been mad, or at least a little miffed, but staring down at the sleeping changeling, angry or irritated emotions became an impossibility. He looked so peaceful, all wrapped up in his makeshift blankets, and Raven had to bite her lip to keep her grin in check.

She turned to leave him in peace, and hesitated. Raven glanced back at the sleeping shapeshifter. He must have rolled around some in his sleep, because some of the clothes had fallen away. Raven sighed and reached for a blanket from her bed, carefully draping it over him. She gently tucked it around him, so as to keep the blanket from shifting. Raven pulled away to admire her work, when a warm hand wrapped around her wrist.

A sleepy Beast Boy peered up at her from his little den. Raven wasn't sure if he was fully awake, as he certainly didn't appear to be, but all trains of thought were halted when the changeling dragged her into his clothes pile and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her. Raven was stiff with shock, afraid to move. This was certainly new. She carefully craned her neck to get a glance at Beast Boy, only to see him sigh and bury his face in her neck.

Well, this was great.

Raven tried to get away. Honestly, she did. She wriggled, she squirmed, she even tried prying the shifter off of her. But he was relentless, squeezing her tight. Her face was hot, and the suffocatingly sweet embrace of Beast Boy made the concentration for teleportation impossible.

She was trapped.

In a bear hug.

From Beast Boy.

The world was simultaneously ending and beginning in the way Raven felt by the situation. She wanted to hate being cuddled so, but Raven surprised herself by enjoying it. Immensely. The realization was terrifying and exciting. What was worse, was how much she liked that _Beast Boy_ was doing the cuddling.

She was pretty sure a light or two burst somewhere within the tower.

Raven wasn't sure how long she was trapped in the clutches of Beast Boy's snuggles, but apparently enough time had passed to make someone concerned, as she jolted at the sound of someone knocking at her door.

"Yo, Raven, you in here?" Cyborg's muffled voice filtered through her door, making her sigh. wriggling her fingers, Raven conjured some dark energy to open the door. She could feel Cyborg's surprise, making the apprehension coiling in her gut increase tenfold. Still, what else could she do?

"In here."

Cyborg's heavy footsteps thumped closer and closer, until he was standing in front of her closet. "Raven?" he asked incredulously. She craned her head, shooting him a glare. He paid her no mind, instead, Raven watched as his expression morphed from shock to amusement, and he burst out laughing. "Having fun there, Rae-Rae?"

Raven's face burned. "Just help me out of here," she hissed, wriggling a little against Beast Boy's grasp. Cyborg let loose another bout of chuckles as he bent down to poke at their green friend.

"Wakey, wakey, 'B," he cooed. Beast Boy twitched, snuggling closer. Luckily, Cyborg continued prodding, despite laughing all the while. "C'mon, Grass Stain, you gotta' let Raven go."

Beast Boy whined, his face burying deeper into Raven's neck. At this, Raven's face grew hotter, and she nearly growled at Cyborg's bemusement. Fortunately for her, he said nothing, opting instead to shake Beast Boy's shoulder.

"Beast Boy, wake up!"

Finally, Beast Boy's head bobbed up, and he yawned sleepily. "Gee, Cy. You just can't let a guy nap," he grumbled. Cyborg tittered, much to Beast Boy's confusion. She remained stoic as the changeling followed Cyborg's gaze, and his emotions went from sleepy irritation to wide awake terror. He practically pushed Raven away, scrambling backwards. "W-what are you doing here, Rae?" he squeaked.

Raven sat up, her hair falling in her face. She blew the loose strands away, trying desperately to remain impassive. After all, Beast Boy totally did _not_ look cute with that blush on his face. Not in the slightest.

"Well, this _is_ my room," she drawled. At this, Beast Boy glanced wildly about, as if he'd forgotten where he was. His eyes got as wide as saucers, and with one last fearful look at Raven, he bolted. She stared at the now empty spot, sudden disappointment crashing into her.

Okay, so maybe she'd enjoyed the cuddling _way_ more than she thought. Cyborg's bark of laughter jolted her from her thoughts, and Raven shot the cybernetic teen a glare before allowing the ground to open up beneath him. He screamed as he fell, much to her satisfaction.

Raven sat there amid the pile of clothes for a long moment.

Well. Today had been...eventful.

A soft grin spread across her face, and Raven shook her head.

Eventful, but surprisingly nice.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **So, this was totally inspired by the idea I've seen around that Beast Boy gets a bit sleepier in the winter. I like exploring the different animalistic aspects of his character, and couldn't resist writing something cute. Enjoy.**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


	15. The Case of the Missing Book

Raven loved to read.

It was a favorite pastime of hers, one that was well known not only amongst the Titans, but amongst their fan-base as well. So much so, that she often received books as presents.

Not that Raven minded. More books meant more things to read in her spare time. She loved expanding her library, and had books of all types; from old magic tomes, to books on string theory and inter-dimensional travels, all the way down to fiction.

Raven's love of reading was born of the need to escape and let the world around her disappear for awhile. It was an excellent form of meditation in and of itself, allowing her to think and feel freely without blowing something up. Of course, after successfully defeating Trigon, her habit settled down into more of a hobby than an innate need.

Still, it was nice to get away every-once-in-awhile.

Raven floated beside her shelf as she perused for another good read. It was another dull day at the tower, and the empath was eager for some good fiction to attack the boredom that had followed her around nearly all morning.

Something unusual caught her gaze, and Raven's brow furrowed in confusion. There was a book missing. It was almost hilarious that she'd even noticed the empty spot, given how jam-packed the bookshelf was, but the empty space was all the more obvious as a result.

But what book could it be?

Raven examined the shelf. This was her fiction section, which she'd organized by author like libraries and bookstores did. It made things easier. Unless a book was missing of course. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a log on all of her books, and she had so many she'd had yet to read every one.

So it was quite the mystery.

Unnerved by the absurdity of it all, Raven began the task of hunting the missing text down. She looked all about her room, tore apart the ops room, checked the gym, the pool, the bathrooms, and even the evidence room! No book was found anywhere.

Raven flopped onto the couch with a huff. How had this happened? Had she lent it to someone and forgotten? No, no one in the tower read as much as she.

Or at least, no one had her taste in literature anyway.

So that begged the question; where was her book?

Raven jerked her head up at the sound of the ops doors opening, her gaze landing on a certain green-skinned changeling as he sauntered into the room. He was dressed casually, as they all were, in a t-shirt and sweats, and he hummed pleasantly as he strode into the kitchen. Raven rolled her eyes and sank back down onto the couch.

She resisted the urge to grumble. All she'd wanted was to read. Yet _somehow_ , a book had gone missing. Why did these things always happen to her?

"Hey, Rae!" Beast Boy's cheery voice drew her out of her inner grumbling and she blinked at his bright smile.

"Hi."

The changeling chuckled and rolled his eyes, popping a cherry in his mouth. He leaned back, his emotions bright and bubbly as he savored the fruit. Raven rolled her eyes at his antics and dropped her gaze, only to catch something odd in the corner of her eye. She turned back, squinting.

Was that…a book? There, tucked beneath Beast Boy's leg, was a book. An actual, physical book. Immediately, she conjured a cloud of dark energy and latched onto the novel, yanking it free from the shapeshifter. He yelped as the book flew out from under him, flopping onto his side.

Raven caught the book with ease and eyed the cover. _The Neverending Story_. This book was hers. The missing book. Raven flicked her gaze back to Beast Boy, who was staring at her wide-eyed. "Why do you have my book?" she growled. Beast Boy gulped, grinning sheepishly.

"I uh…I w-was um, reading it?"

She blinked once. Twice. Her brow furrowed in confusion and she looked between Beast Boy and the novel cradled in her grasp. "You were what?" she asked, dumbfounded. She watched in fascination as a deep flush broke out on Beast Boy's face and he shrugged, avoiding her gaze.

"I was reading it."

Her gaze returned sharply to the book, where she could now see a torn piece of notebook paper acting as a bookmark. He wasn't very far, just within the first ten chapters, but the fact that he was reading it in the first place was somewhat mind boggling.

It wasn't that Raven thought he was illiterate. He read comics after all. She just thought actual reading wasn't his thing. Raven was well aware that not too many people read for entertainment.

Without hesitation, Raven thrust the book back to him. Shock burst from the changeling, and Raven could only offer a small smile and look away.

"Just don't damage it. It's…one of my favorites."

With as much grace as she could muster, Raven fled the scene, her smile remaining intact as she felt Beast Boy's awe and excitement flow from behind her. He didn't follow her, thankfully, and Raven was able to escape to the solace of her room.

A smile graced her face as she looked at her bookshelf.

Maybe she'd lend Beast Boy another book sometime. Maybe.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Have a small little something! It's short, I know, but I found a list of one word prompts on Tumblr and couldn't resist. This one was 'Book'.**

 **Enjoy!  
**

 **-vixensheart**


	16. Reading Circles

There was something wonderful about libraries.

Books lined the shelves and tables, proudly displaying their covers as they waited to be picked up by a patron. Nooks and crannies provided plenty of space to read, relax, or even study. A computer lab was provided for those without internet access, and the kind librarians always shuffled about as they put books away, ready to assist anyone in need. It was an atmosphere Raven appreciated; calm and cheery, without being overwhelming. It was a place she visited rather often, especially when she needed a place to get away from her teammates and friends.

After all, she loved them all dearly, but they could get aggravating at times.

Raven sighed contentedly as she perused the nonfiction section. She hadn't browsed this section in awhile, and the library had put some new stuff out. She picked up a title that caught her fancy, quickly scanning the blurb on the back. It seemed decent enough; it was a historical piece about France. Raven enjoyed reading about earthen history. She liked being educated about where she lived.

The empath cradled the book as she carried it to her favorite reading corner. It was a little nook located close to the kid's section, situated behind some shelves. It was the perfect spot, as not very much foot traffic existed there. Raven thought it was because the section was the encyclopedias and dictionaries and things of the like, which was just fine with her.

The sweet sounds of laughter met her ears as she wandered back towards her spot. Raven's brow furrowed in confusion. This was new. She paused, attempting to gauge where the laughter was coming from. The laughter was decidedly from children, as Raven could distinguish the light and cheery ringing of children's voices. Curiosity overwhelmed the empath, and she found herself wandering towards the kid's section.

On the floor sat a crowd of children, ranging from around five to about ten. They were arranged in a loose semi-circle, riveted in awe as they listened to a story. It was normal enough; Raven knew the library often held these type of sessions for local kids. What she didn't know was that _Beast Boy_ partook in this tradition. But there he was, reading animatedly away. He was really into it too; his arms flew around in the air as he spoke, and his voice changed to accommodate the different characters. He even paused to shift into animals every now-and-again, letting the kids pet him.

It was adorable to say the least, and Raven couldn't help the small smile that broke onto her face as she watched.

All too soon, the reading session was over, and the kids had all began running around and chattering with Beast Boy. He remained the perfect hero though, hugging kids and chattering back with equal excitement. Raven leaned against the bookcase as she watched. It was a sweet sight; there was no denying that Beast Boy was excellent with kids. She found herself waiting until the kids began to leave, and smirked when Beast Boy's gaze landed on her.

"O-oh, hey, Rae!" A blush spread across his face and he laughed awkwardly. "What uh, whatcha doing here?"

"I didn't know you did this," she said, gesturing to the reading area. Beast Boy's embarrassment increased tenfold, bouncing around Raven's emphatic senses. He chuckled again, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well..." He trailed off.

"They like you."

Beast Boy blinked. "Huh?"

"The kids," Raven murmured. "They really like you. You're pretty good with them."

He shrugged, his cheeks pink. "I just like making them laugh. Some of these kids come from pretty bad backgrounds. It's the least I can do, you know?"

Raven smiled softly. It was such a Beast Boy thing to do, trying to make those around him happy. It was something Raven always admired about him, how much he cared about the people around him. He always put other people first, even when he wasn't at his happiest or best. It sort of made sense he'd do something like this. Raven offered him a smile, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, well you can be pretty funny."

With a gentle squeeze, she left Beast Boy gawking in shock behind her as she disappeared to her reading corner.

It wasn't a lie; he was pretty funny. Raven just didn't like telling him too often. She was afraid of feeding his ego too much. Well, that and he was actually pretty cute when he blushed that dark shade of red.

Not that she'd ever tell him that.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **So. I totally didn't mean to write this, but there was a cute prompt on Tumblr and I couldn't resist. That's kind of why it's so short, but hopefully it's sweet! :)**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


	17. House Guest

"He's here again."

Raven opened an eye, peering curiously at Beast Boy, who had flopped down onto the couch seconds earlier. She sighed, shutting her eye once more. "I know," she said. The empath attempted to regain her focus, but it looked like Beast Boy wasn't going to let that happen.

"Why does he always do this? It's weird."

"I don't know."

The changeling huffed, rolling on his side. "Do you think we should talk to him? Tell him to like, lay off?"

"Robin thinks it's best to ignore him."

"Well, what do you think?"

Raven opened her eyes again, shooting Beast Boy a look. "I don't really care."

"You don't think it's weird?"

"You do realize that we _are_ weird, right?"

Beast Boy shot her a glare, but said nothing. Silence settled between them, and Raven's eyes fluttered closed as she resumed her meditation. The past few weeks had been stressful, with crime running rampant nonstop throughout the city. It certainly didn't help that the Titans had been dealing with an unexpected _visitor_ during this time. He always came to lurk, and spy, with the intentions of being unnoticed. What their visitor didn't seem to realize, was that it was _impossible_ for him not to be.

After all, she was an empath, and could sense his very aura. Plus, Beast Boy could hear and smell better than any human, and Cyborg's alarm system was the best in the world. It was impossible to be unnoticed, and Raven was certain he knew as such.

But he still came.

Raven sighed, rising from her seat. "I'm making tea," she muttered. Beats Boy grunted in acknowledgement, booting up his game. The sounds of cars and techno music filled the air, providing a strangely harmonious backdrop. After years of living in this tower, Raven had gotten used to the habits of her roommates, including the boys' video game marathons. She actually didn't find them as annoying as she used to, though she'd never admit as such aloud.

The empath poured two mugs of tea and slipped out of the ops room, making her way to the roof.

It was a beautiful evening out. The weather was pleasant, with a cool ocean breeze ruffling her cropped hair. She took a moment to gaze out at the pretty sunset, admiring the pink and orange hues spreading out across the sky.

"You do realize we know you're here, right?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the bay. Her hidden companion said nothing. Instead, he continued to silently watch her from the shadows, his dark navy aura permeating the air. Raven sighed, turning to face him. "Tea?"

A hand emerged from the shadows, taking the second tea cup from her. He remained there, silently sipping his tea. Raven could just barely make out the outline of a mask and a cape, the dark material blending easily into the man's surroundings.

"You should talk to him," she said. The Dark Knight shot her an expressionless stare, eliciting a sigh from Raven. He was a stubborn one, Batman was. Raven turned back to the sunset. "Or you can spy on us. But I don't know how far you're gonna get by sneaking around in the shadows." She shot the older hero another look. "Don't expect us to pretend like this isn't weird. Because it is."

She turned and stalked off, not giving the caped crusader a chance to respond. Raven was tired of being spied on, just like the rest of them. But apparently Batman was twice as stubborn as Robin was, if their failed conversation was anything to go by.

Oh well. This wasn't her problem.

Raven melted through the floor and back into the common room, contentedly joining Beast Boy on the couch. She said nothing when hours later, Batman and Robin walked through the ops and towards the evidence room, chatting quietly as they walked.

Maybe Batman wasn't as stubborn as she thought.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Enjoy a silly little oneshot. This was inspired by a prompt on Tumblr awhile back, and I couldn't resist.**

 **Thanks for the support!**

 **-vixensheart**


	18. The Return of the Snuggle Monster

"Oh, what about this movie!"

Starfire held up one of her all time favorite romance movies, eliciting a groan from everyone in the room. It was movie night in the Titans' tower, and all five heroes were gathered into the common room around the television for their weekly tradition. Raven rather liked movie night; it was a chance for all five of them to just relax and enjoy each other's company. It was a strange and silly tradition of theirs, one Raven had grown to appreciate over the years.

"How about we start of with something...a little less mushy," Beast Boy said. Starfire sighed, nodding reluctantly, and everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that Raven hated romance, she just didn't enjoy most of the cheesy plots associated with the genre. That, and Grease was simply not her cup of tea.

"What shall we watch then, friends?" Starfire asked.

"Fast and Furious," Cyborg said. Beast Boy bounced in place from beside Raven, nodding eagerly.

"Yeah, that one! Or what about Transformers? Or Paranormal Activity?"

"No horror," Raven muttered. Cyborg laughed.

"Yeah, we don't wanna repeat the _last_ time we watched a horror movie."

Raven shot the cybernetic teen a glare, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. "That was a year ago," she snapped. He simply chuckled, much to the empath's ire. Even though the disastrous event had indeed taken place over a year ago, Raven still wasn't fond of horror movies. They brought back less than pleasant memories.

"Leave Raven alone, Cyborg," Robin scolded from his place at the end of the couch. The Boy Wonder let out an exaggerated sigh, turning back to Starfire. "Let's just pick something."

There was a tug at the corner of Raven's cape. She looked down to see Beast Boy fiddling with the fabric, and shot the changeling a glare. He stopped, grinning sheepishly, and sighed. "Like what?" he asked. Robin shrugged.

"I dunno. How about...Transformers?"

"What is that one about again?" Starfire asked, her voice the perfect mirror of bewilderment. Raven's head dropped to her hands, and she sighed. This was going to be a _long_ night.

After ten minutes of explaining Transformers to Starfire, followed by another twenty minutes of heated debate over what movie to watch, the Titans finally decided upon The Hunger Games. It had enough action for the boys, romance for Starfire, and Raven had read the book. With the movie in and the popcorn popped, the teens all settled into their large couch and began to watch their movie.

It was a surprisingly good watch, though Raven immediately noticed the deviants from the book. Still, she found herself enjoying the film immensely, enthralled by the actors' portrayals of these characters.

Raven wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she guessed it was around halfway through the movie when she finally noticed that a certain teammate of hers was using her as a pillow. Her cheeks grew hot, and with a grumble, Raven attempted to push him away. But the shapeshifter seemed to really find her comfortable, for with a grumble of his own, he snuggled back against her shoulder. Raven tried a few more times to get him off of her to no avail, so the empath gave up with a huff.

Whatever. It wasn't like anyone was paying attention anyway.

Sometime between giving up on ridding her shoulder of Beast Boy and finishing the movie, Raven fell asleep. It was something they usually did after movie nights; crashing together on the couch in a heap of blankets and pillows, sleeping in until the sun came up of the alarm went off, whichever happened first. It was always a nice feeling, waking up surrounded by the people she loved the most. On days like those, Raven would just lay on her spot on the couch or floor, listening to her friends' breathing.

Raven sighed, blinking awake. There had been no alarm, thankfully, so it appeared they'd gotten to sleep in. With a yawn, she moved to sit up, only for something warm and heavy hold her down. She glanced down, confused. What in Azarath's name was on top of her? A mop of green hair met her gaze, making the empath's heart nearly stop.

There, draped across her, was Beast Boy. He snored a little as he slept, the sound muffled by her stomach. Raven's face burned with embarrassment, and she discreetly tried to push him off of her. It didn't work of course; the sleepy changeling simply grunted and hugged her tighter. She let her head flop back down onto her pillow and let out a sigh.

Not _again_.

Although Raven couldn't deny the bubbles of girlish joy popping within her, the prospect of everyone else waking up to...whatever _this_ was, was not exactly something she wanted to deal with. After all, it had taken her weeks to get Cyborg to stop teasing her. Weeks. Raven knew he didn't mean it to be rude, but she still found it annoying, especially since she didn't like Beast Boy like that.

Did she?

Raven rubbed her face. It didn't matter. She had to get out of this situation, and fast. It wouldn't be long before the others awoke; she could already feel Robin's aura starting to brighten. The demoness poked the sleeping boy on top of her. He didn't respond, much to her ire.

At least she had use of her arms this time around.

"Beast Boy," Raven hissed, attempting once more to push him away, "get up." Her attempts failed miserably once more, as the shapeshifter just mumbled incoherently and buried his face further into her stomach. The motion tickled, and Raven had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.

Great. Just great.

The sounds of rustling made Raven's blood freeze, and her gaze darted to where Robin lay curled next to Starfire. His aura was getting warmer and warmer, and Raven was getting desperate. The empath gave Beast Boy one last shove, hissing his name as loud as she dared.

"Beast Boy!"

To her utter relief, it seemed to do the trick. With a small whine, Beast Boy's head jerked up.

"Shh, Raven, I'm sleepin'" he grumbled, yawning profusely. Raven quirked a brow.

"I'm aware. But you happen to be using me as a pillow. Again."

The changeling blinked slowly, his face screwing up in confusion. Raven waited patiently for the realization to hit, a blush rising to her face as his eyes widened at their close proximity. There was a dizzying rush of emotions pouring off of him that Raven couldn't even begin to process before he scrambled off of her, accidentally elbowing her abdomen in the process.

She inhaled sharply, wincing from the pressure. Beast Boy seemed to notice, for he tentatively brushed her arm and squeaked.

"Oh shit, Rae, I'm sorry!"

Raven opened her mouth to brush him off, when the changeling did something...rather unexpected. He lurched forward and planted a kiss on her shoulder, causing Raven to stiffen and blush furiously in shock.

"There," he said sleepily, "all better."

She could only watch dumbstruck as he curled up around a nearby pillow and promptly dropped back off to sleep.

Well. That was...something. Raven couldn't help the small smile that crept to her face as she touched her shoulder, her chest warm and fuzzy and her stomach ablaze with butterflies. So, maybe she was developing a crush on Beast Boy.

Maybe.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Here's a little something cute just for the heck of it. :) Oh, and don't forget to vote for what story you'd like me to write next! I'll probably close the poll next week or so. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Thanks for the support!  
**

 **-vixensheart**


	19. From Ashes, We Rise (Rated M)

_**Warning, rated M for violence.**_

* * *

Raven awoke to chaos.

Ash and smoke clogged her nose and mouth, making her choke. She struggled to her feat, blinking at the soot in her eyes. Everything was...different. The world around her was filled with a reddish haze, and the earth beneath her feet was blackened and scorched.

 _What happened?_

She stumbled forward, cradling her pounding head in her hands. It was so strange; she felt so...light. Like she was floating. Raven glanced about, trying with all her might to figure out what was going on.

Jump City was in ruins. Crumbling buildings and smoldering fires sprawled all around her. Whatever happened was bad. Very, very much so. Raven's heart beat against her chest, and she quickened her pace, the images of her teammates flashing across her mind.

 _Where they okay?_

It was hard to say.

The farther Raven pressed into the city, the more apparent the disaster was. Bodies littered the streets and sidewalks, like scattered leaves in the fall. Thick blood mixed with the ashes and soot, making a pasty mess on the ground. But Raven hardly noticed. Instead, she came to a stop, her mouth agape.

Milling about the carnage, were spirits. Ghosts. Whatever. They were wispy things; light and airy, like dust in the wind. There was a shimmer about them, making it difficult to pick one out fro another. Raven shook her head and stalked through them, barely noticing as their breezy forms passed through her own.

She was no help to lost spirits anyway.

Another turn, another alley; more damage. More death. Over turned cars, broken glass, and blood painted the asphalt. Raven had to almost admire its grotesque beauty; it brought to mind old war photos. Captivating and horrifying.

A loud rumble shook the ground, interrupting her thoughts.

"Shit," she muttered. Raven tried using her powers, but all that accomplished was a headache. With another curse, she broke out into a run, heading in what she hoped was the direction the rumble came from. Spirits and carnage whipped past her, but Raven didn't care. She was determined to find her friends, even if she had to run through every damn alley in the city.

Only what she found was far, far worse.

She was downtown, at the square. It, like everywhere else, could be likened to a graveyard. Except the bodies were above ground, laying in their own blood. But that wasn't what caught Raven's attention.

At her feet, was her own corpse.

Raven's knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground, covering her mouth with her hands. "N-no," she whispered, her voice hoarse. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. She was _here_ , alive! But her torn and bloodied body said otherwise.

She gulped, tearing her gaze away from herself. The metallic glint of Cyborg's arm peeking out from beneath a tangled pile of limbs caught her attention, and she could see scraps of Robin's cape scattered about. Not too far off, she could see Starfire struggling against at least five or so people who were clothed in what appeared to be once white robes, now tattered and splattered in bright red.

 _Robes. White robes._

There was something significant, some detail just out of reach.

Something to job her memory.

"Give it up, son."

Raven snapped her head towards the voice. There, on the fountain, was Beast Boy and a man she didn't recognize, locked in a deadly embrace. Beast Boy's uniform was torn to shreds, his back arched in a way that reminded Raven of a feral animal. She couldn't see his face, but she could imagine his bared fangs. Raven took a step forward, and another.

"Never," Beast Boy snarled.

"It won't do any good, she's already dead." The man chuckled. "Besides, I've already got what I want."

Images of herself with a knife at her throat came to mind.

A ritual.

A sacrifice; _her._

Raven broke out into a run.

Beast Boy growled. "We'll see about that." He morphed into a massive emerald lion, his tail curling as he reared his head.

"Stop!" Raven screamed. She reached out, gasping in horror as her hands went right through him.

Beast Boy roared, his fangs glinting in the light.

"Garfield!"

Her voice echoed throughout the square, and time seamed to slow. Raven herself felt hot, like she was one fire. The sensation was strangely relaxing, and she reached for Beast Boy's mane. "Garfield," she whispered. The lion flinched at her tough, blinking as though in awe. He melted away, his features resettling into the boyish ones she was most familiar with.

"Raven?" Beast Boy croaked. She merely brushed her fingers against his jaw before cradling his face in her hands.

"Shh," she whispered, "I'm here." In a moment of clarity, Raven leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against his forehead. She parted from him then, turning to the man who lay trembling on the ground.

"I-impossible," he squeaked, "you're _dead_!"

Raven glared at him, her cloak billowing out behind her. "I don't feel dead," she deadpanned. She rose up into the air, her skin growing hotter. Raven could have sworn she was glowing.

 ** _"Azarath, Mentrion, Zinthos!"_**

A percussive blast of energy flew from her person, and Raven snapped her eyes open. The remaining cultists were all frozen in time, a glow seemingly emanating from within them. There was a chorus of piercing screams, and they all vanished.

Banished to the realm of Trigon.

Raven drifted back to the ground beside Beast Boy, who was still kneeling. He wore a shell-shocked expression, and Raven felt a wave of compassion course through her. She offered him a hand, which he took.

"Thanks."

There were so many things that could be said, but Raven felt that the simple phrase somehow fit. She offered a smile and a squeeze of the hand, before turning her attention to the damaged city around them.

 ** _"Quae restituere contritum est."_**

The ashes and blood that covered the ground turned into a white powder, before it blew away in the breeze, revealing the streets the way they were before the chaos. Cars and buildings fixed themselves, and bodies picked themselves up off the ground, waiting to be reunited with their souls. Of course, not all souls returned, and the bodies that remained turned to ash and dissipated along with everything else.

"Robin!"

Raven turned to see Starfire take off towards their previously fallen leader, tackling him in a hug and sobbing in his shoulder. She could even see Cyborg's systems turning back on, the blue of his computer parts blinking.

"Raven..."

She turned back to Beast Boy, whose sincere gaze was laden with a wild and volatile mixture of emotions.

"A-are you...leaving?"

Raven blinked, turning to her own broken body that lay sprawled out a few feet away. Did she want to leave? The difficult questions flitted across her mind, and she grappled with whether or not leaving was even an option. Where would she go? What afterlife awaited someone like her?

Her father?

Did she even _want_ to leave?

A single glance at Beast Boy gave her the answer she was looking for.

"No," she said. "I'm staying right here."

Beast Boy's face split into a genuine smile. "Good. 'Cuz the Titans wouldn't be the same without you." He paused. " _I_ wouldn't be the same without you..." Beast Boy trailed off, his face twisting into a grimace. Raven reached out, squeezing his shoulder.

"I know."

She left then, making quick strides towards her body. Her feet came to a halt right beside the corpse, and Raven bit her lip as she stared at her own face. Her hand reached instinctively for her throat, and she almost thought she was bleeding.

 _"Ad portas mortis, ut renascatur, Trigon!"_

The words echoed in Raven's mind, and she shivered. With a deep breath, Raven reached forward, allowing herself to dip back into her body.

 _"Brethren, we are gathered here today to free our fallen god."_

 _The crowd cheered, their shrieks grating on her ears. Raven struggled against her chains, but it was useless. They were charmed, rendering her helpless. She watched dolefully as the crazed group prepared to slaughter her. It was sad, really. They thought her death would somehow 'free' Trigon._

 _Stupid, really._

 _"Bring the portal."_

 _Raven was shoved forward, into the waiting, grubby hand of their leader. He held a knife, carved with an inscription Raven recognized, but couldn't remember. He held it up to her throat, pressing it tightly enough against her skin for the blade to get a taste. She felt the warm blood trickle down her neck and shivered._

 _"Et usque ad mortem!"_

 _The blade glowed, and the man slit her throat with a single swipe. Pain radiated from Raven's wound, and she felt her throat filling with blood until she could no longer breath. She gasped, falling to her knees._

 _"Animam meam recreabit," she croaked, before succumbing to the darkness._

Raven cracked her eyes open.

"Hey, Rae, nice of you to join us."

She blinked, her gaze focusing on the smiling face of Beast Boy. A smile slipped onto her lips, and she managed a hoarse chuckle. "Thanks," she said.

"Oh, Raven, we were most worried about you!" Starfire's sincere voice only widened Raven's smile, and she surveyed her friends' relieved and tired faces.

"I was worried about you guys too," she said. Her gaze locked with Beast Boy's, and he smiled. A swell of emotions Raven couldn't quite name brewed within him, and she found herself smiling too.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Have a thing. Not sure if I like it, but hopefully it's adequate. :) Enjoy!**

 **-vixensheart**


End file.
